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/Meltdown, Toby McGrath/Phantom, Karl Angler/Armour, and Glint.
A/n: Whoa, I'm seriously late, aren't I? So sorry! I did have this all written awhile ago, but never really had much time or memory to type the darn thing. Yeah, let's hope this chapter was worth the wait, right? Well, you're in for a treat. The first part of this story I wrote a long time ago, (around the time I was typing up chapter four) and was supposed to be included in chapter 7, but the story line changed a little bit and I had to cut it out. I think this is my favourite thing I've written for this story and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Confessions of a Future PastChapter 10: Ancient History
2005
Bobby Drake, the "Iceman," was always the practical joker of the X-Men, with an immature aspect on everything. But even he knew when to be serious during dire and tragic situations; this was one of those times.
He, along with the rest of the remaining X-Men, save Professor Xavier, Storm, Cyclops, and Jean, were sitting on long wooden benches in the grand hall of a train station in Chicago. Looking around him, Bobby could see what was left of his group of friends. Roberto was pacing the floor, stopping to look at the clock every few minutes. Sam was sitting quietly writing a letter (to his sister in Massachusetts Bobby guessed). Lelia was nodding off, trying not to fall asleep, knowing the nightmares that fell ahead if she did. She absent-mindedly talked to Jamie about what had happened and all the things she could have done to change it. And he in turn was trying his hardest to comfort her and convince her it wasn't her fault.
"But it is my fault Jamie! They knew where to find us, they always know!" she insisted in a half-whisper, her voice getting hoarse.
"No, don't say that, it's not your fault. Just because you're a registered mutant doesn't meant that's what led them to us. We're super-powered kids who put a lot of bad guys in jail, and some of them have been following us for awhile since they got back out, waiting for us to leave home so they can get their revenge," Jamie tried to convince her.
After a moment of silence she continued softly. "I'm registered because I wasn't a good enough daughter. They registered me so that one day they'd take me away because I would be too big a threat to the community I was never a part of."
"You know that isn't true. Both of your parents love you, and so does your uncle, and all of us. No one who loves you would do that. It was Replic who registered you, remember? The professor told us that when we found your file on that disk. She did this to you."
"But I wasn't a good enough daughter for her."
"You weren't her daughter though," he tried to reason.
"Yes, I am. She's my real mother," Ghost whispered before burying her face in his shoulder, ashamed of her heritage. Not knowing what else to say Jamie hesitantly put his arm around her shoulders as she started to doze off again.
Bobby felt guilty at over-hearing their conversation and turned his attention away from them and to the others. Stacey sat thinking to herself at the other end of the long bench, trying to figure out what happened, lines on her face from where the tears cut through the dirt and grime. And even though she didn't realise it, all the anger, regret, and remorse were causing her to emit small static shocks from her fingertips. Bobby, on the other hand, noted these and decided to wait until later to talk to her from fear of getting shocked or even electrified. But seeing as how he felt he needed to speak to somebody he walked over to where Aliana sat and tried to start a conversation.
"Um, uh, how are you?" he asked slowly, trying to choose his words carefully.
She looked up at him with curiosity, surprised that he had come to talk to her, but he could also see the relief in her eyes that he drew her away from the silence of her thoughts. She gave him a half-hearted smile and motioned for him to sit down while she thought about how to answer the question. In an instant the smile faded away and she hung her head and answered him, "I don't know."
Then after a little hesitation she continued. "I mean, I'm fine, yes. But I feel so many emotions and at the same time, empty. I just-I just wish there was something more I could have done to save them, to change things around."
"I think all of us here think that, but right now the only thing we can do is get home, protect people, and eventually stop all the attacks."
"You make it sound so easy," she said quietly, "but there's got to be something better to do; we can't protect everyone everywhere. If only there was some way we could get together a team, and not just mutants, humans too, with people from all over the world. And we'd work to stop the attacks everywhere, and protect people by finding out the Futurian plans and stopping them before they get started. Like a worldwide CIA or something. And we could-" she explained before stopping herself. Getting the program started, and getting him to join it would be hoping for too much and they'd probably have to quit the X-Men too.
"What? We could what?" Bobby asked her; truly interested in her plan and curious as to why she stopped suddenly.
"Nothing. Just forget about it. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place," Aliana said, turning away from him slightly.
"No, it's a really good idea, I just wish we could get it to work, our own resistance network. I'm not saying it's stupid or anything, it's just how could humans and mutants work together, especially after today?"
"Because they each want to keep their own kind safe. The hard part would be getting people to join who would risk their lives for anyone," she explained.
"People will come if you call them, they'll join if they're needed. Because like you said they want to protect their kind. Just you be careful, I've lost too many already," he advised.
Aliana nodded and Bobby even thought he saw her smile a little bit. "Things will never be the same again, will they?"
"I know I won't be." And it was true, Bobby already felt different, maturer. All those pranks he spent hours devising and pulling off, even the jokes he told that meant so much to him then, didn't mean anything anymore. But more than anything he felt responsible for people, for their safety.
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2029-Outside Timetripper and Glint's apartment
"Blast! I lost visual!" Pricilla spoke in an aggravated voice into a small black box.
"What! Kenes! What happened?" an angry voice shot back through the device.
"Drake joined them and they were just talking. Then there was a giant flash of light and they were gone!" the slightly frazzled agent answered, running her hand through her hair nervously.
"Byrne's a time traveller, she'll return back soon," a calmer woman's voice came through with only its regular hint of resentment.
"Carolyn's right Cilla; stay there and watch for any activity," the man's voice broke through again, calmer.
Pricilla sighed and shook her head, then keyed the microphone and answered her leader, "10-4."
Outside a darkened building Niccolò sat hidden behind a mound of snow. He was watching the building across the street. A short time later his communicator came to life again.
"Left side, ground zero. I've got two coming out this way, some of our fugitives," Carolyn Darjay's voice reported.
"Good, trail them. I'll watch for the others. They'll probably emerge soon," he said back.
"Done."
Niccolò Traviata crawled back to the slightly hidden entrance of the building he was in front of. Once out of view of the street he straightened up and brushed the snow clumps off his jacket. Then he strode purposefully down the sidewalk, seemingly coming out of the door. He circled the block around an abandoned building and on the other side saw two women walking down a tight alleyway. Anyone without his training wouldn't have seen them; they were hidden so well. Niccolò looked around for his comrade, Carolyn, but didn't see her anywhere through the falling snowflakes. He gave a smirk of satisfaction; they were the best of the best after all.
He walked through the gate of the next building, a real estate office of all things. Walking towards the back, the agent proceeded to the back corner of the yard and skilfully climbed the fence. Once over he crouched down and somewhat walked to the front of the yard where he knelt behind a low wall.
Looking around he would have never guessed Carolyn was in the same spot only moments before. This was where she saw the two mutants, so this must be where the exit was and where the others would come out. It wouldn't be long now.
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Inside the Worldlet, Ancient Rome
"E-Emmeline?" Glint stuttered, "is that my name?"
"But of coarse. Now, I can remove the mental blocks in your mind. I will warn you though; it will unlock your memories, but also some of your powers. It may be too much for you," Leonora replied as she sat in an oversized throne.
Glint opened her mouth to answer, but Bobby interjected. "Since when do you help people? What's in it for you?"
"Yeah, what could Emmy possibly have that you want? No offence, Glint," Vicki added and Glint nodded her head slowly, confused.
"I have something I need to take care of back home, and I can't get out of here with out your help. I need Vicki to do the time-travelling, and I need Glint to protect me in the portal," Leonora said coldly.
"Protect you, from what? We came through just fine," Bobby snapped.
"You Drake had an ice shield, Miss Hayes here had her force field, and Victoria is a time traveller. You were all protected. Now, I could take control of Glint, but I would need to take down the mind blocks first and I can't do that against her will."
Vicki called the others off to the side into a small huddle.
"She's gonna hear us," Bobby pointed out.
"I don't think so, she doesn't seem as strong here. She said she can't take down the mind blocks with out Glint's approval, you know she's never needed someone's consent before," Vicki explained.
"What's your point?" he asked.
"I think she's here against her will, she's trapped," Emmeline finally interjected.
"Humph, doesn't surprise me. She's always been a criminal," Bobby huffed.
"Okay, so she's trapped in this worldlet prison and needs our help to get out. But if we help her get out we'd be letting her escape. She buys into the mutant supremacy theory big time, do we really need another Magneto out there?" Vicki rationalised.
"We also don't know our way out and would like my memories back," Glint said.
"Okay, so we've got risks on both sides. Glint, they're your memories, what do you want to do?" Bobby asked.
"Well, Leonora fought for the United Countries of the World before, right? Maybe she'd help in the battle against the Futurians again. I think we should take the chance of getting her out of here," Emmeline concluded.
Vicki sighed and ran a hand through her pink and brown hair then looked up at her friends. "Alright, but we should probably hurry and get back, the time stream is so polluted these days it could be hard getting to D.C. on time."
Glint rolled her eyes and walked back towards Leonora. "Alright, I've made my decision, I'm ready."
"Excellent," La Luce hissed behind a smile.
A/n: So? Was it worth the wait after all? Please let me know what you thought of this chapter so I know what would be best for the coming ones. The next few chapters should be up shortly since I now have my own computer in my room and aren't constantly fighting my brothers for the use of the other one. All flames this time will be donated to the firebender's association. And all positive comments will receive a mango and possibly some cantaloupe, depending on how good the comment is. -