X-Men, Acolytes, Brotherhood all belong to Marvel comics. There. I said
it. Again.
Kiley and Cheryl belong to us. I said that again.
Enjoy. I don't believe I've said that yet... Indeed. Please do. (And review.)
The instant Sean Cassidy heard that his fellow X-Men had returned from a scouting mission in the metropolis, he anxiously marched to the elevator that led to the lower levels of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, the secret high-tech base of the mutant team. Sean was left behind to watch over the children while two local mutant signatures were being investigated. His suspicions about one of the mutants was now leading him to the side of his Professor Xavier, the founder and loving mentor of the team. The entire time they had been gone, Sean paced restlessly, tapping his chin with a rigid index finger, a nagging question playing in his brain.
"Was I correct? Was it her?" Sean asked as he stepped inside Cerebro, his thick Irish accent muddled with unease. Sean was nearly shaking with impatience while the professor removed his connection to Cerebro, a large metal receptor that attached to his head in three key places, which allowed his psychic mutant abilities to be amplified by the machine.
"I believe so. I can't be sure, since I've never met her before myself, but I do believe she was the woman you are looking for. Although, she is very different from what you remember, my friend." Xavier's calm tone relaxed the fidgeting Irishman a bit, and he followed Xavier out the automatic doors of Cerebro's main chamber, into the mansion's underground.
"I would imagine that after what happened to her she would not be the same person. I hold no delusions that she may be the same as she was all those years ago." Sean looked away as he and Xavier entered the elevator that would take them up to the living quarters. There, the other X-Men were waiting to be briefed.
"I'm glad you're being realistic about this, Sean. But I also want you to have faith. I don't think it's hopeless, you know." Xavier steepled his fingers in front of him as his wheelchair glided across the floor on its own. Sean often found it amazing how the professor could have so many things on his mind at once, and at the same time, control his own transport, among other things, telekinetically. For today, he would have to try to not think about that.
"Of course I have faith. At one time she was my..." Sean stopped when the elevator doors slid open and the X-Men stood on the other side, facing them. He did not continue. He did not believe the others should hear what he had to say to Xavier. Instead, he lowered his head and looked at the ground, remaining silent for some time.
"Whaddaya want us to do, Chuck? Those gals've skipped town, haven't they?" the ever blunt Wolverine cut in, despite noticing the distressed look on Sean's face.
"I think we're going to leave them alone for the time being, Logan," Xavier glided out of the elevator to join the rest of the X-Men, and Sean hesitantly followed, "they had a bit of a scare upon leaving us that night- I believe they were visited by Magneto."
"Magneto, sir?" Cyclops and several others in the room instantly jumped when they heard the name of their most powerful adversary. It had been some months since they had heard anything about the 'Master of Magnetism', and they had just begun to feel accustomed to the greatly appreciated break.
"I cannot be entirely sure that Magneto was there- that helmet of his blocks my psychic abilities-but his son Quicksilver was, and he gave the Misfits quite a fright. I believe Magneto singled them out for a hunt and told Pietro to find them for him. I would even dare to say that the preparation for this confrontation is the reason Magneto has made himself scarce lately."
"You mean he wants to recruit them, Charles?" Ororo Munroe started, her finely shaped eyebrows rising on her forehead. Sean looked up at Ororo, his friend, one of the only completely rational people he knew, with the exception of Xavier and Jean Grey. Her expression looked very strange, but it always had, due to her dark complexion accompanied by stark white, flowing hair. She always looked very dignified in everything she did, and Sean respected her more than he did most. The fact that she normally did not exhibit pupils also added to her exotic appearance.
"We cannot deny that, essentially, we would ask the same of them, if they would give us the chance. Both of them have very powerful, indeed useful, abilities. It is no surprise that Magneto would desire their allegiance himself. Particularly because of their tendency to turn towards crime for the mere thrill of it. Magneto probably sees that as a means of attracting them to his cause." Charles Xavier thought a moment and looked up at Wolverine, who had shifted impatiently, catching his attention.
"Don't you think that's a good enough reason to go find them ourselves before ol' 'bucket head' gets the chance? We've got the more advanced equipment to do so." Logan was beginning to grow weary of the wait. Charles never did expect him to wait around like the others for him to give the order. Logan was a man of action, a man of principle, but most of all, a man of limited patience. He was cautious when he had to be, but did not feel that this was the time for it. Xavier allowed a brief sigh of apprehension escape him.
"If you feel you must, Logan, I won't stop you. I would, however, rather that we wait until we know what it is exactly that Magneto said to them, what he wants with them. I feel that there is a great tempest arising for the near future, and none of us will be immune to its reach, whether X-Man, or Acolyte. Certainly, we live in dangerous times for mutants everywhere, but Magneto is up to something. Perhaps he senses it as well..." Charles dabbed his forehead with a small kerchief and looked up again. Logan was watching him with a concern the man rarely ever showed outwardly. Not so much for the words his mentor had spoken, but for his demeanor this day. Xavier's health was ailing, and he knew Logan could recognize that with his enhanced mutant senses. He moved on before the others could notice the pause.
"The rest of us will be here awaiting more information, Logan. You may do as you wish, but please, don't endanger yourself, old friend. In fact, if you think you can, I want you to watch over them. Make sure that Magneto does not attack them," the professor's features hardened as he moved back toward the elevator to turn in for the night, watching Logan stand up straight from the corner of his eye, "they are headed West on foot for now, Logan. Take care not to let them find out you're tailing them."
"Can do, Chuck," Logan saluted him lazily, "you be sure to take care o' yerself while I'm gone," he said more solemnly, and with that, he left. Charles' lips formed a faint smile, and he exited as well.
Unsure what had just happened, Sean Cassidy watched the other X-Men follow suit and disperse, all ready for a well-earned sleep. Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman, one of the youngest team members, noticed the frustrated look that was still on his face and told him to hit the sack as well. He would have none of it.
The incredible Banshee opened the broad doors to the opulent atrium of the mutant mansion, filled his lungs with the brisk night air, and let out a wailing shriek, taking flight, following after his friend the Wolverine, who would not be able to sense him from such a high altitude- even his sonic scream would go unheard from the long distance behind.
Kiley and Cheryl belong to us. I said that again.
Enjoy. I don't believe I've said that yet... Indeed. Please do. (And review.)
The instant Sean Cassidy heard that his fellow X-Men had returned from a scouting mission in the metropolis, he anxiously marched to the elevator that led to the lower levels of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, the secret high-tech base of the mutant team. Sean was left behind to watch over the children while two local mutant signatures were being investigated. His suspicions about one of the mutants was now leading him to the side of his Professor Xavier, the founder and loving mentor of the team. The entire time they had been gone, Sean paced restlessly, tapping his chin with a rigid index finger, a nagging question playing in his brain.
"Was I correct? Was it her?" Sean asked as he stepped inside Cerebro, his thick Irish accent muddled with unease. Sean was nearly shaking with impatience while the professor removed his connection to Cerebro, a large metal receptor that attached to his head in three key places, which allowed his psychic mutant abilities to be amplified by the machine.
"I believe so. I can't be sure, since I've never met her before myself, but I do believe she was the woman you are looking for. Although, she is very different from what you remember, my friend." Xavier's calm tone relaxed the fidgeting Irishman a bit, and he followed Xavier out the automatic doors of Cerebro's main chamber, into the mansion's underground.
"I would imagine that after what happened to her she would not be the same person. I hold no delusions that she may be the same as she was all those years ago." Sean looked away as he and Xavier entered the elevator that would take them up to the living quarters. There, the other X-Men were waiting to be briefed.
"I'm glad you're being realistic about this, Sean. But I also want you to have faith. I don't think it's hopeless, you know." Xavier steepled his fingers in front of him as his wheelchair glided across the floor on its own. Sean often found it amazing how the professor could have so many things on his mind at once, and at the same time, control his own transport, among other things, telekinetically. For today, he would have to try to not think about that.
"Of course I have faith. At one time she was my..." Sean stopped when the elevator doors slid open and the X-Men stood on the other side, facing them. He did not continue. He did not believe the others should hear what he had to say to Xavier. Instead, he lowered his head and looked at the ground, remaining silent for some time.
"Whaddaya want us to do, Chuck? Those gals've skipped town, haven't they?" the ever blunt Wolverine cut in, despite noticing the distressed look on Sean's face.
"I think we're going to leave them alone for the time being, Logan," Xavier glided out of the elevator to join the rest of the X-Men, and Sean hesitantly followed, "they had a bit of a scare upon leaving us that night- I believe they were visited by Magneto."
"Magneto, sir?" Cyclops and several others in the room instantly jumped when they heard the name of their most powerful adversary. It had been some months since they had heard anything about the 'Master of Magnetism', and they had just begun to feel accustomed to the greatly appreciated break.
"I cannot be entirely sure that Magneto was there- that helmet of his blocks my psychic abilities-but his son Quicksilver was, and he gave the Misfits quite a fright. I believe Magneto singled them out for a hunt and told Pietro to find them for him. I would even dare to say that the preparation for this confrontation is the reason Magneto has made himself scarce lately."
"You mean he wants to recruit them, Charles?" Ororo Munroe started, her finely shaped eyebrows rising on her forehead. Sean looked up at Ororo, his friend, one of the only completely rational people he knew, with the exception of Xavier and Jean Grey. Her expression looked very strange, but it always had, due to her dark complexion accompanied by stark white, flowing hair. She always looked very dignified in everything she did, and Sean respected her more than he did most. The fact that she normally did not exhibit pupils also added to her exotic appearance.
"We cannot deny that, essentially, we would ask the same of them, if they would give us the chance. Both of them have very powerful, indeed useful, abilities. It is no surprise that Magneto would desire their allegiance himself. Particularly because of their tendency to turn towards crime for the mere thrill of it. Magneto probably sees that as a means of attracting them to his cause." Charles Xavier thought a moment and looked up at Wolverine, who had shifted impatiently, catching his attention.
"Don't you think that's a good enough reason to go find them ourselves before ol' 'bucket head' gets the chance? We've got the more advanced equipment to do so." Logan was beginning to grow weary of the wait. Charles never did expect him to wait around like the others for him to give the order. Logan was a man of action, a man of principle, but most of all, a man of limited patience. He was cautious when he had to be, but did not feel that this was the time for it. Xavier allowed a brief sigh of apprehension escape him.
"If you feel you must, Logan, I won't stop you. I would, however, rather that we wait until we know what it is exactly that Magneto said to them, what he wants with them. I feel that there is a great tempest arising for the near future, and none of us will be immune to its reach, whether X-Man, or Acolyte. Certainly, we live in dangerous times for mutants everywhere, but Magneto is up to something. Perhaps he senses it as well..." Charles dabbed his forehead with a small kerchief and looked up again. Logan was watching him with a concern the man rarely ever showed outwardly. Not so much for the words his mentor had spoken, but for his demeanor this day. Xavier's health was ailing, and he knew Logan could recognize that with his enhanced mutant senses. He moved on before the others could notice the pause.
"The rest of us will be here awaiting more information, Logan. You may do as you wish, but please, don't endanger yourself, old friend. In fact, if you think you can, I want you to watch over them. Make sure that Magneto does not attack them," the professor's features hardened as he moved back toward the elevator to turn in for the night, watching Logan stand up straight from the corner of his eye, "they are headed West on foot for now, Logan. Take care not to let them find out you're tailing them."
"Can do, Chuck," Logan saluted him lazily, "you be sure to take care o' yerself while I'm gone," he said more solemnly, and with that, he left. Charles' lips formed a faint smile, and he exited as well.
Unsure what had just happened, Sean Cassidy watched the other X-Men follow suit and disperse, all ready for a well-earned sleep. Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman, one of the youngest team members, noticed the frustrated look that was still on his face and told him to hit the sack as well. He would have none of it.
The incredible Banshee opened the broad doors to the opulent atrium of the mutant mansion, filled his lungs with the brisk night air, and let out a wailing shriek, taking flight, following after his friend the Wolverine, who would not be able to sense him from such a high altitude- even his sonic scream would go unheard from the long distance behind.
