Disclaimer: I do not in any way, shape, or form own X-Men, X-Men: Evolution, or their characters; all of it belongs to Marvel Comics and their individual creators. The characters of Stacey Lofton and Vicki Byrne belong to Stacey Lofton (read our Evo/PotC crossover story on her name!). Aliana LeBeau belongs to Aliana LeBeau. Mithra belongs to stormelle. I reserve the rights to this fiction, its story line, Leila Stone, Leonora Traviata, Carolyn Darjay, Niccolò Traviata, Pricilla Kenes, Christopher Swainison/Meldown, Toby McGrath/Phantom, Karl/Armour, and Glint.
A/n: Hey there and welcome back to another chapter of Confessions of a Future Past! Wow! I got this up on time, I guess writing while I'm "paying attention" in class really works! So, strap in for a long chapter. Um...yeah, read on young reviewers.
Confessions of a Future Past
Chapter 9: When in Rome…
"We're gonna what!" Jamie, Stacey, and Lelia all shouted in surprise.
"You heard me: we're going to attack the futurians," Chris repeated.
"Aliana, why are you not surprised by this? What do you know?" Jamie questioned her, slightly suspiscious she was hiding something from them.
"Well, Bobby and Glint are gonna try to save President Kelly because the futurians are supposed to attack. It's only to be assumed that they'd have to fight the aliens. And we all knew it would come to this eventually, right?" she replied.
"Well, yeah, I knew we'd have to fight them sooner or later, but I always figured they'd come after us first," Stacey confessed.
Lelia leaned forward and spread her hands out and tried to reason with the others, "Since when do X-Men play the offense? We're not exactly protecting anyone here. Doesn't attacking them first make us just as bad? They're universal bullies, yeah, but they're not terrorists."
"Have you forgotten what they did to this place? Innocent people died because of them!" Chris retorted.
"In our crossfire," she said calmly.
"They have some of your friends and students in captivity, how can you protect those aliens? We've got to stop those creeps and save the prisoners before more are hurt or taken!" Chris insisted, his hands starting to glow a dull red.
"I get what you both are saying, and I'm not really sure what to do. I'll compromise, for now. I want to help with the rescue team," Stacey interjected.
"You're better off on the field, you could blast those scum easily," Chris said sharply.
"Rescue team or not at all," Stacey retorted.
"Fine," he spat back.
"Girls, I want to help you, I really do. But I think I'll be a better asset out on the field. Chris, count me in," Jamie explained.
"It's okay, Jamie. We understand," Lelia said, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
"You know you've got me," Aliana added.
They all looked at Lelia. "Well, what about you?" Chris asked.
"I'm still not convinced. But, I'll help in the rescue part under one condition," she bargained.
"What are they?" His glowing hand tensed.
"I get Phantom and Armour on my team."
"That's Toby and Karl from the school, right? Yeah, I can get them. You'll be coordinator you know. Your powers best qualify you for the job." Chris explained, his hand uncurling and turning to its original colour.
"Yeah, I know," she said with slight disappointment.
"Okay then, here's the plan."
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2029
"I can't hear her, can you?" Bobby asked as he strained his eyes and ears on the small floating orb.
"It's a time bubble, I think. We can't hear her because it was, or is, from a different time. I think I might be able to find away inside," Vicki explained and reached her hand cautiously toward the time bubble. Once her forefinger touched the smooth surface a bright light surrounded them.
Vicki realised, moments later, that she had instinctively closed her eyes against the sudden blast and now opened them. It was still unbelievably bright and she had to squint against it, but could make out a faint scene in the distance. All around her was a foggy, yet slightly solid substance; how children first imagine the inside of a cloud. She pushed her way through it with ease and found out it was similar to swimming and made her way towards the trees she'd seen.
When she emerged she was surprised to see what she came through really did resemble a cloud. Vicki blinked twice and looked around. She couldn't believe what was before her: the sky was a faded green, the foliage around her was turquoise, and in the distance there was a red sea lapping up over pure white sand. She rubbed her eyes.
"This can't be real."
"Where are we?" Glint came up behind Vicki from the cloud covered in a pinkish, glass-like layer. Her shield had come up instinctively to protect her from the unknown of the cloud and now slowly dissolved starting at her head and worked its way down to her feet.
"And how did we get here?" chimed in Bobby as he exited the low cloud behind the girls.
"A worldlet," the heard in their minds simultaneously. "Consisted of pieces of many worlds, and many times. I convinced a couple of mutants to combine their powers to create it," the voice continued.
"Leonora," Bobby sneared. "You mean used them as mind puppets."
"Why should not I? Only the strong survive. And yet you found your way here. You started to discover your memory, found the portal, and want my help, yes? Well, I did promise...come through the forest and look for the Colosseum.
"Did she just say the Colosseum? As in Rome?" Vicki asked.
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2015
Shine. Make 'em wonder what you've got
Lelia smiled at the old Newsboys tune, then reached for her cell phone. Her elbow struck something scaly on her right. "Sorry," she said quietly to the orange scaled man next to her. She was on the subway in a car full of mutants. It was an unwritten rule these days that mutants had to sit seperate from everyone else. But she didn't mind anymore, she wasn't gawked at and didn't need to hide her wings.
Make 'em wish that they were not on the outside looking bored
"Hello?"
"Hey, I'm running late. I, uh, missed the bus again," a voice came through the phone.
"Again? Jamie, if you can create like a hundred of you, why can't you finish your work in time to catch the bus?" Lelia said with a small chuckle.
"You know I can't let them know that. Anyways, you're not waiting for me there are you?" Jamie asked.
"I haven't even gotten home yet. In fact I haven't made it to Mutant Town yet. I got held up at the museum. I'll be pretty late."
"And you bug me for being late? You can even use your powers at work," Jamie chastised.
"Yeah, yeah," Lelia rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I'm getting off the subway right now, I'll fly home and be there as soon as I can."
"It's alright. Since neither of us will make it in time for the reservations anyways, how about we forget the restaurant, I'll meet you at your house, and we'll go to that little Italian place you like?"
"Sounds tremendous. Look, I've got to go, it's hard to fly and be on the phone at the same time. I'll see you then," she said and a second later, after they both said their good-byes, hung up the small cell phone and placed it back in her pocket. She smiled, she loved that little cafe, maybe it would take the edge off the bad news she had to tell.
She flew as fast as she could, trying to block out all the mutant signatures in her mind. She also had to hurry because the sun was setting and she didn't think it wise to fly at night. Lelia looked below her, even at this hour Mutant Town was abuzz with energy. No one was ashamed to show their face here and gathered outside their small homes in groups. Now, it certainly wasn't the best place in New York, but it was still home to countless mutants. And it was the one place in the Big Apple she could truely fly free.
Then suddenly the winged woman stopped in mid-flight and hovered in the air. "There's something familiar about that last signature," Lelia told herself. It was hard to concentrate on a single signature in the midst of hundreds, but she did her best. "Is it possible?" she breated before taking off even faster than before in an effort to beat nightfall.
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2029: Underground Mutant Hideout
After two hours of planning, arguing, and eating cookies, the teams were finally ready.
"Alright, Shockwave, Ghost: you guys need to start out at Xavier's and get the rest of your team together. Demeter, Multiple: you're with me, let's go," Chris barked and stood up to leave.
"Aye, aye, Captain Meltman!" Stacey said with a mock salute.
"It's Meltdown," he grumbled.
"Stay safe guys. And don't attack until the Futurians do," Lelia told them.
"Is that lahke a 'don't shoot 'til you see the whites of their eyes' thing?" Aliana joked.
"Yeah, kinda. Oh, and Melty, be careful of that hot head of your's. Don't you do anything stupid," Ghost continued.
"Yes, mom," he replied sharply.
"All right, let's go," Stacey interjected and led the way out of the small room. "Good luck guys," she said over her shoulder to the other three.
"You too," Aliana answered as the boys nodded.
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Inside the Worldlet
"Benvenuto a Roma," Leonora said from up in the stands as the three mutants walked into the middle of the empty Colosseum. "Alright, let's have a look inside that mind of yours. How old are you, ragazza?" she asked as she made her way down towards the arena.
"Twenty-nine," Glint answered automaticly.
"What if I said you were only seventeen? You know it is true, don't you Emmeline?"
A/n: Wow, that was long, for me anyways. Yeah! I told you who Glint was!...kinda. I hope it made sense, I'm still working on the conclusion(s). PLEASE review and tell me what you want to happen, or what you want to know! Mangoes for you all!