Jubilee once again shook her head in disbelief as she looked herself over in the mirror next to the lockers. For three months now, she'd been meeting with Cyclops, training with him, and every time he'd have dreamt up some strange setting for their session, focusing on a different aspect of her "development." She had to admit, it made it a little easier to get involved, once she got past the ridiculousness of it all. Heck, she thought, he's even got me showing up on time. She tugged the bottom of the black wraparound shirt, belted at her midsection, over a black shirt and stared at the matching black trousers. But this, she thought, this is just a crime. Black is so not my color.
Sighing heavily, she once again stepped through the doors leading into the Danger Room. Her first instinct was to gasp in awe, but then she rolled her eyes and snarled. "You have got to be kidding me," she said aloud.
Stark metal floor stretched out before her, leading to wide stairs, illuminated by white glowing markings. The stairs led to a large, black seat that was turned away from her. The throne faced a circular bay of windows, divided into an interesting pattern. The windows, in turn, faced into the darkness of space. Jubilee stepped through the door, which promptly closed behind her, and then turned around. The doorway she'd stepped through appeared to be an elevator, flanked on both sides by guards wearing armor and flowing cloths of bright scarlet. Turning as she walked, she had to be impressed at the size and detail of her surroundings, even if it was the biggest geek-wank that ever existed.
Jubilee was no nerd, but even she knew the Emperor's throne room set from the conclusion of Return of the Jedi when she saw it.
Her footfalls sounded and echoed on the grey floor and machinery thrummed around her and beneath her. Chancing a glance out of one of the side windows, she saw a recreation of the space battle, star destroyers and rebel battleships facing each other, surrounded by clouds of fighters and laser fire. Even Jubilee had to smile. Somebody had spent a lot of time on this stupid program.
A hiss snapped Jubilee to attention, and her expression turned serious as the throne slowly began to turn. Sprawled out on the throne was a man in a black cloak, his face hidden in shadow. "I see you've arrived, my young apprentice," came a very familiar voice doing his best to sound menacing. He failed in every respect.
"Geez, Cyke," Jubilee said, sticking out her hip and resting her fist there. "This is the nerdiest thing I've ever seen in my life."
Cyclops leaned forward. He couldn't hide the smirk on his face. The Star Wars Danger Room program was by far one of the most popular among the X-Men. Though many of them had been in space in person, fought battles very similar to Luke Skywalker's and Han Solo's, there was still something magical about climbing into the magical scenes of the movies that inspired the adventure in many of the young X-Men's hearts.
"Just go with it, Jubilee," Scott said in his Cyclops voice. "That's an order."
Jubilation could hear the smile on Cyclops' face and realized that he was really digging this computer simulation. She reluctantly told herself to keep her more biting comments to herself and let Mr. Summers have his fun. "You could have at least let me dress up like the Princess chick," Jubilee said loud enough for her voice to carry over all the sounds and the distance that separated them.
"Oh yeah?" Scott said. "Which outfit?"
Jubilee bunched her face, trying to remember what she'd seen of the movies. One outfit in particular came to mind, and the young mutant's face flushed with embarrassment. "Good point," she said. "Thanks."
"Your welcome." Cyclops replied. "Anyway, it wouldn't have worked. Leia wasn't in this scene."
"Oh," Jubilee said, rolling her eyes. "Right. I forgot."
Scott rose from the throne and walked down the steps, his stiff back and quick steps decidedly out of place in the Emperor's cloak. From beneath the folds of the black cloth, he produced a very familiar looking device.
"Oh, hey, cool! It's one of those sword-thingys!"
"Lightsaber," Scott corrected.
"Whatever."
"Lately, you've been practicing with various types of weapons. Today, you're going to show me what you've learned, not only in the last couple of weeks, but throughout your entire training session with me by combining your fighting skills with your mutant powers." Scott's face spread into a half-grin. "Consider this a graduation of sorts."
Jubilee couldn't help but smile, excited at the prospect of 'graduating,' and never having to be put through this endless training again. Her stomach sank, though, when the full meaning of the day's events might mean. What if I fail? she asked herself. Or what if I don't? Will I be an X-Man?
Cyclops pressed a button on the lightsaber and the green blade supposedly made of light leapt out of the handle, humming softly.
Jubilee gulped. Am I going to survive that long?
"The blade is entirely safe," Scott explained. As a demonstration, he passed his hand back and forth through the green light and then held it up, wiggling his fingers. "See? Nothing." He then dipped the blade and touched the tip of the sword to the metal floor. Immediately, the metal began to glow and the lightsaber burned through. "The environment, though, has been programmed to react 'realistically' to the weapon."
He pushed the button and the blade retracted. Turning the handle in the palm of his hand, he offered the weapon to Jubilee. She gladly took it and immediately activated the blade. She giggled in delight as the lightsaber hummed and sparked as she whipped it through the air around her. In almost no time, she was swinging the blade through Scott's midsection and through his neck. He stood like a statue as the light passed harmlessly through him, and Jubilee's laughter only got louder.
"Of course," he said, "if you cut your own head off, the exercise is definitely over."
Jubilee continued swinging the weapon, adding her own sound effects to the ones supplied by the Danger Room through pursed lips. She stopped, though, when Cyclops turned his back and started walking back towards the throne room.
"Hey," she said. "Aren't you going to fight me? Or something?"
"Not me," Scott said. He raised his arm, hidden in massive sleeves, and pointed. "Him."
Jubilee turned and gasped audibly when a figure stepped from the shadows and a familiar sound of mechanized breathing filled the room.
Her momentary surprise was soon shattered and replaced with raucous laughter. This "Darth Vader" walked hunched over, with three-fingered hands gloved in black leather jutting from beneath his dark cape. Flitting under the dark cloth, too, was something that could only be a prehensile tail.
"Ach, liebchen," came James Earl Jones' voice through the monstrous mask, "You've cut me already."
It was Scott's turn to roll his eyes as the extremely dramatic Nightcrawler clutched his chest and moaned and groaned and stumbled across the floor as if he'd been mortally wounded… in a bad Western.
Jubilee clutched her stomach as she doubled over with laughter. "You look like an idiot!"
Kurt played dumb, grabbing the edges of his cape and looking back and forth, trying to mime that he was hurt by Jubilee's cruel fashion critiques. "You don't like it?" he said. He chuckled, an odd sound coming from "Darth Vader," and threw up his hands in defeat. "I must admit, I was always more a fan of Sinbad and Robin Hood than Luke Skywalker and Captain Kirk, but when Herr Summers offered a chance to cross blades with the infamous Jubilation Lee, well, never let it be said that the swashbuckling Nightcrawler backed away from a fight! No matter how ridiculous the costume!"
Jubilee's giggles continued, and Scott decided it was time to rein in the clowns. "Okay, that's enough you two, let's get down to business," he said. Kurt quickly obeyed, used to listening to Scott's voice with almost blind obedience. It had saved his life many times before. Jubilee took a bit longer but soon followed Nightcrawler's example.
Scott sat down on the throne and pulled the hood of his cloak back over his face, though his feigned seriousness sent a suppressed giggle bursting forth from Jubilee's nose. Lowering his voice, Scott spoke. "Begin."
Author's note:
I don't own Star Wars or any related characters, items, concepts, or anything else I might be sued for using.
Sorry for the short chapter. Figured it was better than nothing.
