X-Men: Fate
Season of the Scarlet Witch
"Where's Kitty?" Remy asked Reth, Reva, and Adrian. He was positioned to pilot the X-Jet, The Blackbird II, back to the school.
"What are you three doing back so soon?" Psylocke asked Aimi, Lupita, and Leon. She stood with her arms crossed. Azazel stood beside her.
Reth didn't answer Remy. He was bent over in his seat with his hands clasped together, trying to process who he had just seen and how it could be possible she was alive.
Aimi didn't answer Psylocke. She sat, hugging her legs, trying not to cry because she felt like she had been tricked but she knew there was no way this kind of trick would be played by their counterparts. They looked as surprised as she and her teammates had been.
Reva glanced at Adrian to see if he might have the answer. Adrian shook his head in the negative and then looked to Reth with concern.
"We don't know," Reva answered Remy. "We came across, you could say, an unexpected obstacle."
"Reth's not talking to me," Remy said, "so I figured it was something like that. Reth. RJ. Someone's not accounted for."
"Emma," Reth said, getting snapped back to reality by his responsibility. "We need to- Gambit, did you complete the mission?"
"That's all taken care of," Remy said.
"We've completed the mission Emma," Reth said, "but can you find out what has happened with Shadowcat?"
"You're cleared for takeoff," Emma said. "Shadowcat has stumbled on a mission of her own. Nightcrawler and I will be her points of contact for extraction. Gambit, I'm sure you're already aware there was an incident. I expect you to run the debrief on your way back here."
"I'm ten steps ahead of you cherie," Remy said. He readied the X-Jet and took off. "Now, who wants to tell Uncle Gambit what's got you three on the edge?"
"Azazel," Psylocke called to him. "If you would."
Azazel teleported them all back to their base of operations.
"Thank you," Psylocke said.
Azazel nodded.
"I'll take it from here," Psylocke said. Elizabeth uncrossed her arms and bent down beside Aimi. This was a side of Psylocke she rarely showed.
"Phantom," Psylocke called on him for an explanation. She looked into his eyes and waited. This came as a surprise to no one. He was the one for whom she expected the most, but he realized this meant he had obtained a different level of their mentor-mentee relationship.
"Two women interrupted our skirmish with the X-men," Leon said.
"Well," Lupita chimed in. "One woman interrupted. We could've taken her. The other woman with her looked like a real threat. They sent the X-men packing."
"Her name is Tess," Aimi said softly. However, Psylocke heard her. Aimi's voice drew her attention. "I don't know who the other woman was." She said this louder, stronger.
"Tess?" Psylocke questioned but not Aimi specifically. "It doesn't sound like she was a new member of the X-men."
"She wasn't," Lupita spoke before Leon could. "Tess went by the codename Stardust. That's what the woman called her. Tess knew Aimi and Reth, and they knew her. Tess is-"
"Stop," Aimi said, cutting her off. "Tess was…Tess was my first love. She died. There's no way she could be back." She was talking more to herself than the others. "They didn't find a body. Reth wouldn't do this. He couldn't."
"They X-men don't tend to play dirty tricks," Psylocke said. "Granted, I'm not as familiar with the personalities and dynamics of this new team. If they're X-men, they wouldn't use dead loved ones to accomplish their goal."
"Aimi," Havok said. He drew her attention. "Stand up." She didn't move until he reached her and held out a hand. She took it. He helped lift her up. "Azazel said you came back upset." She couldn't look at him. She couldn't respond. He looked to Psylocke.
"Apparently a lost loved one has returned from the grave," Psylocke said. "Unless she wasn't lost in the first place."
"I've told you about my brother," Havok said, focusing his attention back on Aimi. "I've told you about Scott and me. If Tess is alive, you just got to find her and find out her story." His words seemed to snap Aimi back to reality.
"You're right," Aimi said. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry everyone."
Lupita took Aimi's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Aimi nodded and gave it a gentle squeeze back to indicate she was all right or would be.
"Mistress," Leon said.
"Yes," Psylocke said. "Give me the details on the other woman."
"Yeah," Lupita said. "Tell her about the scarlet bitch."
"She was dressed in scarlet," Leon said, "and she appeared to have an agenda of her own."
"We encountered Scarlet Witch," Adrian said: after Reth didn't say anything for a few moments.
There was a brief silence while Reva and Adrian watched Remy suddenly put the X-Jet on autopilot and get out of his seat to join them.
"Come again," Remy said. "I want to make sure I heard you right."
"Scarlet Witch," Adrian said. "I've talked about her with Emma, but Reth and I have discussed her as well. We know she's no joke."
"I don't know anything about her," Reva said, "but she wasn't the issue. I mean, these two seemed to believe she was a problem, but it was Stardust, Tess, who really stopped everything cold when she came out of nowhere while we were in the middle of a showdown."
"Tess is supposed to be dead," Reth said: to no one in particular. "There was no trace of a body. If she's alive… Somehow, she survived. She's a mutant. That's probably the case. Time passed. I have questions. I have to find her."
"You want to tell Armod," RJ said to Reth in his head.
"He'll understand what I'm feeling," Reth said to RJ in his head. "It's the right thing to do."
"It was smart of you all to turn tail," Remy said. "If Scarlet Witch is involved, situations become that much more risky, dangerous, unpredictable. I'm not saying they aren't a good time, but they definitely become life-or-death situations. It's safe to say that Kitty's on the Scarlet Witch mission mon cher."
"I know she's extremely powerful," Reth said. "Is there a chance she would hurt or kill Tess?"
"Tess didn't look like she was in any danger," Reva said, assuring him with the facts as she saw them. "
"Scarlet Witch isn't really in the habit of hurting people," Remy said. "She's not in the habit of hurting people any more. She's calmed down considerably over the years. People haven't heard from her in years. She's been an X-Men. She's been a member of the Brotherhood. She's always on her own side if nothing else. No doubt she's got some details neither team has."
"She might not have anything to do with us or the Brotherhood," Reva said.
"It would probably be safer to leave her be if Tess wasn't involved with her," Adrian said.
"But it'll be better to look into her," Reva said. "She might need help only the X-Men can provide, and if she's as strong as you guys say I'd rather have her on our side and maybe learn a thing or two for her."
Reth looked at Remy, stared through him, but refocused on him.
"Forget him and Kitty," RJ said to Reth in his head. "You can find her on your own."
"Yeah," Reth said to RJ in his head. "I like that idea. I want her back now. It's not about what I want. You know I'm worried, but if she's been taking care of herself this long I don't think I have anything to worry about. She'll explain herself. Soon."
"That's the right answer," RJ said to Reth in his head. "Just testing you. Didn't let your fear get the better of you."
"When Kitty gets back," Adrian said, "we can find out if this encounter has anything to do with Rogue. Whether it does or doesn't, we'll decide what to do about Rogue and Tess."
"And that Scarlet Witch," Reva said. "Sounds like I've got some studying to do."
"You'll address her as the Scarlet Witch," Psylocke commanded her acolytes. She crossed her arms, and she stared the three acolytes down. "You will never engage her. She's only to be dealt with by your superiors. Do you understand?"
"Yes Mistress, " the three answered in unison.
"I will inform Rogue," Psylocke said. "This is an interesting turn of events about which I'm sure she'll want to hear. The three of you are dismissed."
"Wanda, Wanda, Wanda," Remy said, falling back into the pilot's seat and kicking his feet upon the co-pilot's seat. The mentee trio looked upon him listening intently as he spoke. "She's neither a friend nor a foe. She just is. Can't wait to tell Ororo." He laughed as he put his hands behind his head. "Every day I approve more and more of my decision to come back. When the time comes, you'll leave her to us. And when the time comes, we'll leave Tess to you."
~!~!~!~
Wanda created a gate. She watched Tess walk through it. She walked through it after Tess. Kitty ran through it before it closed, and she phased herself through the ground as soon as she came across the other side.
Wanda looked back as she watched her gate close. Then, she continued and went and sat in her easy chair, which was by a fire place. She started a fire. Tess sat on the rug on the hearth.
Kitty phased herself until she sat behind the couch. She took in as much of her surroundings as she could. Didn't take her long before she realized she was occupying a castle, in Scotland, near the ocean.
"Tell me the truth," Wanda said, gazing into the fire instead of giving her attention to Tess. "We only traveled to that facility because you wanted to see Reth and Aimi again."
"I did want to see them," Tess said. She looked to Wanda and waited for Wanda to look at her. "I did want to see them, but he was there. He left to keep anyone from finding him. He managed to escape on his own: for that reason. The Purifiers didn't know who they had in their custody."
"He?" Kitty asked herself. She wondered if they were talking about Lance.
"You are a suspicious young woman," Wanda said. "You're able to locate him when I cannot."
"That's not true," Tess said. "I can't pinpoint his location. I just get a sense of his presence when he uses his ability on himself."
"No," Kitty thought. "Not Lance."
"That makes no sense either," Wanda said. She sounded both annoyed and frustrated. "Clearly, the two of you have some type of connection."
"You taught me that magic doesn't always make sense," Tess said. "It doesn't have to. I agree that he and I have some type of connection, but the more we fail to locate him the more I believe that connection has less to do with me."
"Lance will be here any minute," Wanda said.
"Once again," Tess said, "I do thank you. I'm thankful you took me in, you decided to help me, that you agreed to teach me. You saved my life."
"You don't have to continue to thank me," Wanda said. "I say that because my decision to help you and save you wasn't altogether altruistic."
"I am a young witch," Tess said. "I was a mystery. You want to solve me. That is as good as any a start to a relationship. We've made some headway from there I'd like to believe."
Wanda, Tess, and Kitty heard footsteps. Kitty looked in the darkness of the hallway. She phased herself into the floor, hung from the ceiling, and then swung herself until she re-phased herself into the darkness of the hallway. From that darkness, she observed Lance from behind as he stood where she had sat moments before.
"Ladies," Lance said.
"Welcome back," Tess said.
"You look worst than when you left," Wanda said. "Did you find him?"
"Did you really think I'd be able to find him before you two?" Lance questioned her. "Come on. Get serious."
Wanda glared at him.
Lance smirked at her.
"I can still turn you into a frog you know," Wanda said.
"And that still wouldn't be the worst thing that has happened to me in this life," Lance said. "I'm waiting on you."
The two of them laughed.
Tess tried to stifle her laugh as she shook her head.
"Nic and Charlie agreed to introduce Tess to the school," Lance said. "They're not keen on the idea of keeping her relationship with me a secret from their mother, but I told them it was for Tess' safety."
"I don't want to cause any trouble," Tess said.
"You're not," Lance said. "I don't want Kitty to think I've been lying to her. That I haven't been around because I'm taking care of a second family. We have a mission. I'm just. She rubbed off on me: a long time ago. I'm trying to do a little good. Amidst all the mistakes I've made. That's all. I'm helping you, and I'm even helping her: because she asked."
"And I never ask for help," Wanda said. "I just had to. At the time. When I came across you. He's the only one I could think of at the time. Don't get a big head about it."
"I wouldn't dare you old hag," Lance said. "They're also going to introduce you to the Brotherhood."
"You can use both opportunities to reconnect with Reth and Aimi," Wanda said, "but your main part of our mission is for you to see if either the X-Men or the Brotherhood are tracking Fayt."
"Why would we be tracking fate?" Kitty questioned herself. "Oh, Fayt is a person: a mutant."
"If Wanda can't track him down," Lance said, "Cerebra can't either. May be someone knows something. May be there's some kind of clue."
"Tied to your past," Wanda added. "But you get in and get out. You have a job to do, and you're under my tutelage."
"I understand," Tess said.
"Are you sure you don't want to reintroduce yourself to your family?" Lance asked Tess.
"I'm sure," Tess said. "Not now anyway. I still haven't learn how I survived or how long I'll be here. I need more answers about that before I put my parents through my loss a second time. I've seen Fayt's name and face written in the very stars. Whatever answers I seek lie with him, so my life and future are on hold until we meet."
"If you change your mind," Lance said, "let me know. And if she kicks you out, I'll find you somewhere to be."
"We have some time," Wanda said, ignoring Lance's words and focusing on Tess. "Lance will assist you in your next endeavor, and I will continue the search. In the meantime." She used her abilities to prepare a meal in the nearby dining hall. "We'll eat. We'll continue your night studies. Lance, you're welcome to stay."
"I can eat," Lance said. "Then, I'm headed out. I'll head back to the states. Wouldn't feel right staying here."
"Understood," Wanda said.
Kitty watched them wash their hands and then sit down to eat. She herself had gone through a spectrum of emotions. She had almost laughed at the exchanges between Lance and Wanda and almost cried over her own relationship with Lance. She felt bad about Tess' past but felt good about how far Lance had come. The main takeaway however was that there was a mutant out there named or called Fayt, who apparently didn't want to be found. And supposedly, he really needed to be. She left the castle and traveled out from it until she stood on the edge of a bluff. She contacted Emma, who in turn contacted Kurt, who Emma assisted in reaching Kitty's location. Kitty was looking out upon the water. She felt a breeze, but everything else seemed to have been drowned out. She was cold, but after a while she didn't feel it. It was replaced by the heat from warm memories.
"Are you okay?" Kurt asked, after having appeared beside her and observed her.
"Do you think becoming X-Men ruined our lives?" Kitty asked Kurt without looking at him.
"No," Kurt said. "I think that it enriched them."
"I don't know why," Kitty said, turning toward Kurt, "but I'm suddenly afraid of the future. I'm suddenly very worried about those kids."
"Don't be," Kurt told her. "We're in good hands, and those kids have us, which means so are they." He held out his hands.
"When you say it," Kitty said, "I can't help but believe it." She grasped Kurt's hands, and he gave her a reassuring smile before he teleported them home.
