Chapter Eight: The Wishing Apple

A few days later, the kids left to dig up more diamonds. The last couple of days had been very nice and peaceful. Logan had consented to teaching Jean how to play the organ, Bobby had finally managed to get over his hay fever and regain control over his ice breath, Rogue had become much more open to Jean, and Ororo kept making googily eyes at Logan every night and referring to him.

Today, they all prepared to leave as they needed some more diamonds for money.

"Now don't forget Jean," Hank had said. "Emma Frost's sly and full of witchcraft, so beware of strangers."

"Don't worry." Jean said with a smile. "I'll be alright."

Jean then kissed Hank on the head.

"See you tonight, and remember to wash up before dinner." Jean said.

"Uh… Yes…" Hank gasped with a nervous smile. "Come on, guys."

"I hope you'll be really careful." Kitty said. "Why if anything happened-"

Jean then kissed her on the head, and she blushed so much, she looked like a tomato with pig tails.

"Good-bye." Jean said cheerfully.

"Ah, gee!" Kitty said as he walked off.

"That is disgusting." Logan muttered from the back of the line.

"And be sure to watch out." Bobby said as he left, and Jean kissed him. "Thanks."

Kurt later came up and tugged on Jean's skirt as he puckered up. Jean smiled kindly, gently bent Kurt's head down, and kissed him. He then left and came back just a few moments later.

"Oh alright." Jean said with a chuckle as she kissed him on the head. "But that's the last-"

Kurt then ran off like a cheetah and came back.

"Oh, run along." Jean said with a chuckle, and Kurt went off.

"Bye." Rogue said as she was holding The Magician's Nephew in her hand. "Now remember, you promised we could talk about this book when we get home."

"Yes, I remember." Jean said before kissing Rogue on the cheek and she walked off.

Logan took his mask off and put up some stray bangs before putting his mask back on.

Ororo then received a kiss on the cheek and walked off as she helped Rogue along.

Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho.

It's off to work we go.

Logan then coughed to let Jean know he was there.

"Now I'm warning you." Logan said as he removed his mask. "Don't let anyone or anything in this house unless you know 'em like the back of your hand."

"Why Logan," Jean said with a smile. "You do care."

Jean then kissed Logan on the forehead, and he put his mask back on and walked off before he stopped and smiled a little. It was like something he could barely recall concerning someone who looked a lot like Jean. He shook his head and walked off.

()()()()()

Emma Frost walked slowly to the cottage as she chuckled to herself. Only an hour left, and Jean was an easy five minutes' walk away.

"Those little brats won't be at home." Emma chuckled evilly. "And she'll be on her own. With a harmless old peddler woman." She chuckled again. "A harmless old peasant woman."

()()()()()

Jean decided to use this time to make some goose-berry pies for the children as a surprise and began making the last one after putting the other six on the table.

Someday my prince will come.

Someday we'll meet again.

And away to his castle we'll go.

To be happy forever I know.

She then placed the top of the pie on the last one and cut off the excess with a small knife. After that, she put the crust she cut off and put it on top of the pie, so that it spelled, "Logan".

Someday, when Spring is near,

We'll find our love anew,

And the birds will sing,

And wedding bells will ring.

Someday, when my dreams come true…

Jean then looked up and gasped as she saw an old woman with a long hooked nose, greasy white hair, and bulging green eyes. Out of her black cloak, Jean saw two hands that were so skinny that they looked more like claws.

"All alone my dear?" The old woman asked in a high raspy voice that seemed slightly familiar to Jean.

"Uh…" Jean said nervously. "Well yes I am."

"What?" The woman said in surprise. "But you're only a girl, you can't be older than sixteen. Aren't either of your parents or any little brothers or sisters around?"

"Well, my parents died when I was still a little girl." Jean said. "But the children are away for a little while."

"Hmm…" The old woman said. "Making pies?"

"Yes, goose-berry." Jean said. "They're the children's favorite."

"Then they haven't tried apple pies." Emma Frost said with a smile. "They can make any little child's mouth water. Made from nice apples, like these."

The old woman picked up an apple that was so beautifully red that Jean couldn't help staring at it.

"They look delicious." Jean said.

"Yes, but wait until you taste it." The old woman said sweetly. "Would you like to try one? Go on… Go on and have a bite."

Before Jean could grab the apple, the birds began attacking the poor old woman.

"Hey, you leave her alone!" Jean said as she threw a small star bolt into the air to frighten them off. "You should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking a poor old helpless lady like that!"

The woman made sure the apple was still alright, and Jean put her arms on her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" Jean asked.

"Oh, my heart!" The woman said as she clutched her chest. "My poor heart. Get me into the house and give me a drink of water."

"Oh, of course." Jean said as she helped the old woman inside.

()()()()()

The animals looked into the window and saw Jean go off to get the old hag some water. They could tell that something wasn't quite right about her, and they saw her look at the apple and then at Jean, and they knew something terrible would happen if she ate it. They then ran off towards a diamond mine where they knew the children were.

()()()()()

The children arrived at the mine and were about to get to work. They began to push a small track car full of any digging equipment they'd need, and Kurt accidentally shoved Rogue inside.

"Ouch!" Rogue said.

"Sorry." Kurt said meekly.

Suddenly, several animals arrived and began pulling at their capes and hair like there was no tomorrow.

"Get out of here!" Logan said as he swatted some birds away from his cape.

"Hey, let go!" Kurt shouted as several birds were beginning to pull him away.

"What's going on here?!" Hank shouted as a doe was shoving Hank away from the mine.

"They've gone crazy!" Kitty called out.

"No kidding." Bobby said as he blew, and the birds and squirrels that were pulling on his shirt and feet were blown away, but they came right back, though they were shivering.

()()()()()

Jean had given the lady a drink of water, and she smiled kindly like a grandmother… Or at least how Jean imagined grandmothers smiled as she never saw one.

"And because you've been so good to dear old Granny," the lady said kindly. "I'll let you in on a secret. This is no ordinary apple. It's a magic wishing apple."

"A wishing apple?" Jean asked in awe.

"Yes." The lady said. "One bite, and all your dreams come true."

"Really?" Jean asked as she thought of Robin and how she could finally be with him.

"Yes dearie." The lady said. "Now make a wish and take a bite."

()()()()()

"Hey go away!" Ororo shouted as a dear was holding her in his antlers and shoving her forward. "What's wrong with them?!"

"I don't know, but they're not acting like this for nothing." Logan said as he swiped away several birds that nearly pulled his mask off.

"Uh-oh." Rogue said as she finally managed to get herself out of the car. "What is that mean queen, Emma Frost's got Jean?"

"Emma Frost?!" They all called out in alarm. "Jean!"

"Emma Frost will kill her!" Logan called out in alarm. "We've gotta save her!"

"Yeah, we've gotta save her!" Hank shouted.

"She'll kill her!" Bobby shouted.

"What do we do?!" Ororo asked.

"We go back to the house and save her!" Logan said, and Bobby, Ororo, Rogue, and Hank flew off as Logan and Kitty rode on the stag and the doe while Kurt turned into a cheetah and ran off.

()()()()()

"There must be something your heart desires." The lady said. "Maybe someone you love?"

"Well, yes." Jean said as she blushed.

"I thought so." The lady said with a laugh. "Old Granny knows a young girl's heart. Now take the apple dearie and make your wish."

"I wish…" Jean began.

"That's it." The lady said. "Go on. Don't be afraid."

()()()()()

Getting to the cottage proved much more difficult than they thought, especially for the people who were flying as their outfits got on low hanging branches, and twice, Kurt nearly fell to his death when he ran into a large gorge, but managed to survive by teleporting to the other side.

()()()()()

"And that he will carry me away to his home, and we'll live happily ever after." Jean said with a smile.

"Excellent wish my dear." Granny said. "Now take a bite."

()()()()()

The children hurried on as fast as they could.

()()()()()

"Don't let the wish grow cold." Emma Frost said as all her dreams were about to come true.

Jean bit into the apple, and she smiled for a minute before staggering and holding her head.

"Oh… I feel strange." Jean said weakly.

"Her breath will still." Emma Frost said with a wicked smile as her fist began to become fuller and orange. "Her blood congeal."

Jean fell to the ground asleep, but to all but the most observant, dead, and at that moment, the disguise wore off, and Emma Frost was her lovely self again.

"NOW I'LL BE FAIREST IN THE LAND!" Emma Frost called out with wicked glee.

Oh dear…