Queen of Random: Okay, as we now have a few more Doppelgangers, I'm gonna
have to go through the whole names thing again.
Tabitha Smith / Boom Boom is also Tibal Smith / Dynamite
Amara Aquilla / Magma is also Amarus Aquilla / Volcanus
Jamie Maddrox / Multiple is also Jaimee Maddrox / Multigirl
Roberto DaCosta / Sunspot is also Roberta DaCosta / Solarflare
Sam Guthrie / Cannonball is also Samantha Guthrie / Impacter
Ray Crisp / Berzerker is also Rachel Crisp / Shockwave
and finally, Bobby Drake / Iceman is also Bobbi Duck / Icewoman.
Okay, now that that is over and done with, I can finally say what I was going to say. I finally saw that episode of 'Red Dwarf' everyone's been talking about since I started this story. And, to clarify, I had not seen it, or any other episode of 'Red Dwarf' prior to writing this story. Thank you to the reviewer(s) who informed me of the whole 'Red Dwarf' thing. The episode was actually quite funny, and now I get what people had been writing about in their reviews about the guys ending up pregnant. I was starting to get a bit worried there! But, I think I should assuage your fears about that, and explain something about this parallel world.
The parallel world that the X-Women, and the Sisterhood come from is basically just like ours (by ours I am referring to the world of the X-Men that we are all familiar with), except that in that dimension women are, and always have been, the dominate sex. Yep, just like on 'Red Dwarf', they have 'masculinists'. But unlike 'Red Dwarf', the biology of the genders remain the same as they are in our world. Therefore, the women still have the babies. But in their reality, maternity leave is much longer, and when the women do return to the workforce, the fathers raise the children at home. In the past, it was the women who went out into battle, and the men who waited patiently at home. The only men who did fight were quite rare, except for the group of warriors of ancient times - the equivalent to our Amazons of mythology. I can't really think of what name the male tribe would have had, as the word 'Amazon' is derived from the Greek word meaning 'breastless', and I don't speak Greek - not yet, anyway. A little bit of Latin, yes, but not Greek. Talk to me again once I leave university, and it might be different.
By the way, I am a Lancitty shipper, which may clear a few things up for some readers. I am also an Amyro ('Trial by Fire' readers should get that) and Romy shipper, too. Oh, and anything to do with Hank and Jennifer. But what would that be? Bennifer? No, that's taken. Hannifer? Jank? Jeast? Actually, they all sound kinda stupid. Never mind.
Role Reversal
Chapter Ten: A Plan in Motion
Ororo was the adult waiting for them when the last of the Doppelgangers arrived back at the Institute. It was also the first time that X-Men and the Brotherhood got to meet her Doppelganger. His name was Orion, and his identifying features were very much like Ororo's: he had white hair, dark skin, and blue eyes. He was also quite tall, and had the same aura of serenity and calm around him.
The first thing he said to all the students was, "Find the newer students. We will need them here, and they deserve to know what is going on."
Ororo nodded in agreement. "Find Bobby, Tabitha, Roberto, Amara, Sam, Ray and Jamie."
"Where are they?"
"In their rooms."
"I'll get them," volunteered Kurt. Ororo nodded, and in a puff of smoke he was gone.
*
Bobby, Tabitha, Roberto, Amara, Sam, Ray and Jamie all just stared at the group of Doppelgangers that had been brought back from the mall. They had been able to understand that the X-Men and the Brotherhood had their own, but they had never really contemplated the idea that they might have them as well. In fact, the idea seemed to be a little hard for them to digest.
"Bobby, this is your Doppelganger. Her name is Bobbi Duck, and her codename is Icewoman."
Bobby finally spoke. "Her name is Bobby?"
"It's spelt B-O-B-B-I," explained Bobbi. "It's got an 'i' on the end of it."
"But what's with the whole 'duck' thing?"
"Let's not get into that right now," interrupted Jean hastily. "Let's just keep going with the introductions." She turned and was about to introduce Tibal to Tabitha, but found that the two of them were engrossed in conversation. She looked around, and found that all the pairs were talking, and getting along quite well. It was only Bobby who was a little shell- shocked.
"That does not look good," Lana whispered to Lance.
Lance looked at what was causing Lana so much concern. Tabitha and Tibal were deep in conversation, and Lance could catch snatches of conversation, and words such as, "Principal Kelly," and, "car," and, "explosion," and most worrying of all, "bada-bing-bada-boom."
"How bad was it when she lived with you?" asked Lana.
"You don't want to know," Lance replied.
"I might already know," Lana said with a grimace, looking at Tibal.
Lance clapped Lana on the back. "Hey. Don't worry. We've got our own little plan."
He and his Doppelganger turned to look at Kitty, and her Doppelganger. Then they looked at each other again, and smiled.
It was almost time to put their plan in motion.
*
About an hour after the arrival of the new set of Doppelgangers, a situation of sorts came about.
"It's going to be getting dark soon," said Kitty. "What are they," here she pointed to the Doppelgangers, "going to do tonight?"
"What do you mean, Kitty?" asked Xavier.
"Well, it's just that there is not enough room in the Brotherhood's house for the Sisterhood to stay in. And where are the X-Women going to stay?"
"She has a point there," said Lois. "Any ideas?"
"What would you do, Charlotte?" asked Xavier, turning to his Doppelganger.
"I would have them all stay here," Charlotte replied. "We cannot risk having them all over Bayville if an emergency arises. But, as this is your home, and not mine, it is up to you."
"That is just what I was thinking." Xavier turned back from Charlotte and faced the teens. "You are all welcome to stay here - X-Women, Sisterhood, and Brotherhood included."
"Even us?" asked Todd.
Xavier nodded. "Yes. If you want to, that is."
Tonya spoke this time around. "That's cool, yo."
"Why don't you show our guests to the guest rooms?" suggested Ororo. "That should keep you all busy for a while, and I'm sure that you could all use a place to put your things."
There were murmurs of agreement coming from all the teenagers.
"Come on, Katrin. Let's find Forge and Form."
"You coming, Bobbi? Oh, and I guess you two can come along as well."
Petra was the only one who showed any real signs of annoyance at this idea. "Well, Lana, I suppose you don't need anyone to show you around here, as you probably still know your way around from when you were one of them, right?"
Lana tugged on her jacket, but said nothing. Lance did the same thing.
"Ignore her," said Kitty firmly. "I'll show you two to your rooms." Not looking at Petra, she grabbed Lance's hand and began leading him away. Lana, trying not to smile, and Carter, followed behind the two.
* Lana was lying on the bed in the room she had been assigned to, staring at the ceiling. Lance was in the room on her left, with Carter, in turn, on Lance's left. Petra's room was on her right, and Pietro's right across the hall from Petra's.
Lana did not look up at the sound of knocking on the closed door. "Come in."
The door did not open: Kitty phased through it instead. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
Lana sat up, and swung her legs off the bed. "Yeah. Something wrong?"
Kitty blushed. "No. It's just. . ." Kitty stopped there.
Lana smiled slightly. "It's all a bit weird?"
Kitty had to smile. "Weird is an understatement. I just wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead. Ask." Lana shifted to the end of the bed. "You don't have to stand by the door you know. You can sit down. I don't bite." She grinned. "Fredericka on the other hand. . ."
Sill not at ease with this female Lance, Kitty did not move. But she wanted to know. "What happened?" she asked, a bit nervously.
Lana laughed, before beginning the story. "Well, one time she had fallen asleep in front of the T.V., and I tried to wake her up by shaking her. When that didn't work, I went to hit her on the nose. Only a light tap," Lana added hastily, noticing the worried look on Kitty's face. "Anyway, she must have been dreaming about food, 'cause when I hit her, she bit me. While still asleep."
Kitty giggled. "Serves you right." She moved, and sat down on the bed next to Lana.
"Yeah, but the thing is, she doesn't remember it ever happening. What was it you wanted to ask me?"
"Um," Kitty hesitated. "Well, Petra said that you joined the X-Women, right? I just wanted to know. . ."
Lana finished the question for her. "Why?" She was silent for a moment, then replied quietly. "Probably for the same reason Lance did." Then she corrected herself. "Maybe not the exact same reason as Lance did, but close enough."
Kitty did not say anything, so Lana said it for her.
"I switched sides for Carter. And Lance switched sides for you."
"Oh," Kitty replied quietly. She seemed to be lost for words because of this revelation.
"Scarlett knew from the beginning that I wanted something, but she didn't know what," continued Lana, ignoring Kitty's silence. "Doctor X on the other hand figured it out straight away. She knew that what I wanted was to be near Carter. Of course, there were a few other things that pushed me over the edge."
"Like what?" Kitty seemed to have recovered slightly.
"Well, there was Tibal moving into the house, the other girls just being a pain, and with Mystery gone. . ."
"Mystery?" asked Kitty, curious. "Is he, like, Katrin's father?"
Lana nodded. "Now that I think about it, yeah. What is he like here?"
"Well, her name's Mystique, and she's not a very nice person. She blew up the Institute not too long ago."
"Mystery did that, too. But now that he's gone again, and now that Petra's leader of the Sisterhood. . . things are not the way they used to be." Lana stopped suddenly, and said, "Look, Kitty, there's something I've been wanting to tell you. Well, Carter, actually, but I can't."
"What is it?"
Lana swallowed, and for a moment Kitty could see a flicker of Lance shine out from behind her eyes. "I want to say I'm sorry. For everything. I've done a lot of stupid things in my time. . . destroying our old school. . . knocking down that scoreboard onto Principal Keller. . . exposing us all as mutants. . . and attacking those parents after we were exposed. . . I just want to say I'm sorry. And you were right to hate me after all I have done. . . all Lance and I have done."
"But I don't hate Lance."
Lana looked up. "You should be telling Lance that, not me. He's the one who'll want to hear it. He likes you - I can tell. He's probably done all the crazy stuff I have done for Carter, but for you. It just. . . it really hurts him when things like that happen. He - I - would not have risked his own life to help you had he not cared. And if he feels half the things for you that I feel for Carter, then you are missing out on something. It's not every guy - or girl, for that matter - who'll be hit by a burning eagle that was falling by pushing a person who can just phase through it out of the way." She grinned wryly, mocking herself slightly. "I'll admit, not my smartest move ever."
Kitty did not agree with Lana, instead, she leapt up off the bed. "Excuse me, but I have something I really have to do." Without waiting for an answer, she raced out through the door.
Lana leaned back on the bed and smiled.
Part one of Lance's plan had worked.
Now it was his time for him to pay back for the favour that she had done for him.
Tabitha Smith / Boom Boom is also Tibal Smith / Dynamite
Amara Aquilla / Magma is also Amarus Aquilla / Volcanus
Jamie Maddrox / Multiple is also Jaimee Maddrox / Multigirl
Roberto DaCosta / Sunspot is also Roberta DaCosta / Solarflare
Sam Guthrie / Cannonball is also Samantha Guthrie / Impacter
Ray Crisp / Berzerker is also Rachel Crisp / Shockwave
and finally, Bobby Drake / Iceman is also Bobbi Duck / Icewoman.
Okay, now that that is over and done with, I can finally say what I was going to say. I finally saw that episode of 'Red Dwarf' everyone's been talking about since I started this story. And, to clarify, I had not seen it, or any other episode of 'Red Dwarf' prior to writing this story. Thank you to the reviewer(s) who informed me of the whole 'Red Dwarf' thing. The episode was actually quite funny, and now I get what people had been writing about in their reviews about the guys ending up pregnant. I was starting to get a bit worried there! But, I think I should assuage your fears about that, and explain something about this parallel world.
The parallel world that the X-Women, and the Sisterhood come from is basically just like ours (by ours I am referring to the world of the X-Men that we are all familiar with), except that in that dimension women are, and always have been, the dominate sex. Yep, just like on 'Red Dwarf', they have 'masculinists'. But unlike 'Red Dwarf', the biology of the genders remain the same as they are in our world. Therefore, the women still have the babies. But in their reality, maternity leave is much longer, and when the women do return to the workforce, the fathers raise the children at home. In the past, it was the women who went out into battle, and the men who waited patiently at home. The only men who did fight were quite rare, except for the group of warriors of ancient times - the equivalent to our Amazons of mythology. I can't really think of what name the male tribe would have had, as the word 'Amazon' is derived from the Greek word meaning 'breastless', and I don't speak Greek - not yet, anyway. A little bit of Latin, yes, but not Greek. Talk to me again once I leave university, and it might be different.
By the way, I am a Lancitty shipper, which may clear a few things up for some readers. I am also an Amyro ('Trial by Fire' readers should get that) and Romy shipper, too. Oh, and anything to do with Hank and Jennifer. But what would that be? Bennifer? No, that's taken. Hannifer? Jank? Jeast? Actually, they all sound kinda stupid. Never mind.
Role Reversal
Chapter Ten: A Plan in Motion
Ororo was the adult waiting for them when the last of the Doppelgangers arrived back at the Institute. It was also the first time that X-Men and the Brotherhood got to meet her Doppelganger. His name was Orion, and his identifying features were very much like Ororo's: he had white hair, dark skin, and blue eyes. He was also quite tall, and had the same aura of serenity and calm around him.
The first thing he said to all the students was, "Find the newer students. We will need them here, and they deserve to know what is going on."
Ororo nodded in agreement. "Find Bobby, Tabitha, Roberto, Amara, Sam, Ray and Jamie."
"Where are they?"
"In their rooms."
"I'll get them," volunteered Kurt. Ororo nodded, and in a puff of smoke he was gone.
*
Bobby, Tabitha, Roberto, Amara, Sam, Ray and Jamie all just stared at the group of Doppelgangers that had been brought back from the mall. They had been able to understand that the X-Men and the Brotherhood had their own, but they had never really contemplated the idea that they might have them as well. In fact, the idea seemed to be a little hard for them to digest.
"Bobby, this is your Doppelganger. Her name is Bobbi Duck, and her codename is Icewoman."
Bobby finally spoke. "Her name is Bobby?"
"It's spelt B-O-B-B-I," explained Bobbi. "It's got an 'i' on the end of it."
"But what's with the whole 'duck' thing?"
"Let's not get into that right now," interrupted Jean hastily. "Let's just keep going with the introductions." She turned and was about to introduce Tibal to Tabitha, but found that the two of them were engrossed in conversation. She looked around, and found that all the pairs were talking, and getting along quite well. It was only Bobby who was a little shell- shocked.
"That does not look good," Lana whispered to Lance.
Lance looked at what was causing Lana so much concern. Tabitha and Tibal were deep in conversation, and Lance could catch snatches of conversation, and words such as, "Principal Kelly," and, "car," and, "explosion," and most worrying of all, "bada-bing-bada-boom."
"How bad was it when she lived with you?" asked Lana.
"You don't want to know," Lance replied.
"I might already know," Lana said with a grimace, looking at Tibal.
Lance clapped Lana on the back. "Hey. Don't worry. We've got our own little plan."
He and his Doppelganger turned to look at Kitty, and her Doppelganger. Then they looked at each other again, and smiled.
It was almost time to put their plan in motion.
*
About an hour after the arrival of the new set of Doppelgangers, a situation of sorts came about.
"It's going to be getting dark soon," said Kitty. "What are they," here she pointed to the Doppelgangers, "going to do tonight?"
"What do you mean, Kitty?" asked Xavier.
"Well, it's just that there is not enough room in the Brotherhood's house for the Sisterhood to stay in. And where are the X-Women going to stay?"
"She has a point there," said Lois. "Any ideas?"
"What would you do, Charlotte?" asked Xavier, turning to his Doppelganger.
"I would have them all stay here," Charlotte replied. "We cannot risk having them all over Bayville if an emergency arises. But, as this is your home, and not mine, it is up to you."
"That is just what I was thinking." Xavier turned back from Charlotte and faced the teens. "You are all welcome to stay here - X-Women, Sisterhood, and Brotherhood included."
"Even us?" asked Todd.
Xavier nodded. "Yes. If you want to, that is."
Tonya spoke this time around. "That's cool, yo."
"Why don't you show our guests to the guest rooms?" suggested Ororo. "That should keep you all busy for a while, and I'm sure that you could all use a place to put your things."
There were murmurs of agreement coming from all the teenagers.
"Come on, Katrin. Let's find Forge and Form."
"You coming, Bobbi? Oh, and I guess you two can come along as well."
Petra was the only one who showed any real signs of annoyance at this idea. "Well, Lana, I suppose you don't need anyone to show you around here, as you probably still know your way around from when you were one of them, right?"
Lana tugged on her jacket, but said nothing. Lance did the same thing.
"Ignore her," said Kitty firmly. "I'll show you two to your rooms." Not looking at Petra, she grabbed Lance's hand and began leading him away. Lana, trying not to smile, and Carter, followed behind the two.
* Lana was lying on the bed in the room she had been assigned to, staring at the ceiling. Lance was in the room on her left, with Carter, in turn, on Lance's left. Petra's room was on her right, and Pietro's right across the hall from Petra's.
Lana did not look up at the sound of knocking on the closed door. "Come in."
The door did not open: Kitty phased through it instead. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
Lana sat up, and swung her legs off the bed. "Yeah. Something wrong?"
Kitty blushed. "No. It's just. . ." Kitty stopped there.
Lana smiled slightly. "It's all a bit weird?"
Kitty had to smile. "Weird is an understatement. I just wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead. Ask." Lana shifted to the end of the bed. "You don't have to stand by the door you know. You can sit down. I don't bite." She grinned. "Fredericka on the other hand. . ."
Sill not at ease with this female Lance, Kitty did not move. But she wanted to know. "What happened?" she asked, a bit nervously.
Lana laughed, before beginning the story. "Well, one time she had fallen asleep in front of the T.V., and I tried to wake her up by shaking her. When that didn't work, I went to hit her on the nose. Only a light tap," Lana added hastily, noticing the worried look on Kitty's face. "Anyway, she must have been dreaming about food, 'cause when I hit her, she bit me. While still asleep."
Kitty giggled. "Serves you right." She moved, and sat down on the bed next to Lana.
"Yeah, but the thing is, she doesn't remember it ever happening. What was it you wanted to ask me?"
"Um," Kitty hesitated. "Well, Petra said that you joined the X-Women, right? I just wanted to know. . ."
Lana finished the question for her. "Why?" She was silent for a moment, then replied quietly. "Probably for the same reason Lance did." Then she corrected herself. "Maybe not the exact same reason as Lance did, but close enough."
Kitty did not say anything, so Lana said it for her.
"I switched sides for Carter. And Lance switched sides for you."
"Oh," Kitty replied quietly. She seemed to be lost for words because of this revelation.
"Scarlett knew from the beginning that I wanted something, but she didn't know what," continued Lana, ignoring Kitty's silence. "Doctor X on the other hand figured it out straight away. She knew that what I wanted was to be near Carter. Of course, there were a few other things that pushed me over the edge."
"Like what?" Kitty seemed to have recovered slightly.
"Well, there was Tibal moving into the house, the other girls just being a pain, and with Mystery gone. . ."
"Mystery?" asked Kitty, curious. "Is he, like, Katrin's father?"
Lana nodded. "Now that I think about it, yeah. What is he like here?"
"Well, her name's Mystique, and she's not a very nice person. She blew up the Institute not too long ago."
"Mystery did that, too. But now that he's gone again, and now that Petra's leader of the Sisterhood. . . things are not the way they used to be." Lana stopped suddenly, and said, "Look, Kitty, there's something I've been wanting to tell you. Well, Carter, actually, but I can't."
"What is it?"
Lana swallowed, and for a moment Kitty could see a flicker of Lance shine out from behind her eyes. "I want to say I'm sorry. For everything. I've done a lot of stupid things in my time. . . destroying our old school. . . knocking down that scoreboard onto Principal Keller. . . exposing us all as mutants. . . and attacking those parents after we were exposed. . . I just want to say I'm sorry. And you were right to hate me after all I have done. . . all Lance and I have done."
"But I don't hate Lance."
Lana looked up. "You should be telling Lance that, not me. He's the one who'll want to hear it. He likes you - I can tell. He's probably done all the crazy stuff I have done for Carter, but for you. It just. . . it really hurts him when things like that happen. He - I - would not have risked his own life to help you had he not cared. And if he feels half the things for you that I feel for Carter, then you are missing out on something. It's not every guy - or girl, for that matter - who'll be hit by a burning eagle that was falling by pushing a person who can just phase through it out of the way." She grinned wryly, mocking herself slightly. "I'll admit, not my smartest move ever."
Kitty did not agree with Lana, instead, she leapt up off the bed. "Excuse me, but I have something I really have to do." Without waiting for an answer, she raced out through the door.
Lana leaned back on the bed and smiled.
Part one of Lance's plan had worked.
Now it was his time for him to pay back for the favour that she had done for him.