X-Men: Fate
Pryde Before A Fall
Kitty, Kurt, and Caliban arrived in the area where Caliban sensed and tracked not only Anna but also Azazel, Havok, and Quicksilver.
"Good thing my power is still growing and we have Emma's help," Kurt whispered to Kitty, "or there'd be no way we could continue to keep traversing states."
"Are you going to be ok?" Kitty asked, worried because Kurt was looking haggard and breathing hard.
"I'll be fine," Kurt said. "Remember, we've got a mission to accomplish."
"What about Azazel?" Kitty asked.
"That's a toss up," Kurt said. "I've never been able to figure him out. His presence could work in our favor or bring unforeseen consequences."
"That's great to hear," Caliban said sarcastically. "When are we going to leave?"
"We appreciate your help Caliban," Kitty said. "Please stick with us a little longer, and we'll transport you to safety as soon as possible."
"The X-Men are no more," Caliban said, "and the Brotherhood are no more. If this was truly so, what's happening now? What is this?"
"The X-Men have had setbacks," Kurt said, "but we still exist."
"Which means the same for the Brotherhood," Caliban said, "and that you can't guarantee my safety." Kitty watched after him as he led them forward. She wanted him to believe in them, but she didn't know how to convince him.
Seeing Anna for themselves, Kitty and Kurt were both left they heard her say surprised them even more.
"Their first mission must succeed," Anna said to the others. "They have no room for errors."
"Wouldn't it be better for us to handle this then?" Quicksilver questioned. "If we want it to go off without a hitch, we shouldn't be sending in amateurs."
"Our objective is Jean," Anna said. "The only way we succeed is if we distract and occupy everyone who will fight to protect her."
"You mean your friends," Havoc said. Anna ignored his comment.
"They won't hurt young people," Anna continued, "and those three are the only ones capable of doing what needs done. If you can do it Quicksilver, or even you Havoc, be my guest." Neither Quicksilver nor Havok replied.
"When should we put this plan in motion?" Azazel asked Anna.
"Tonight," Anna answered.
"I'm going to talk to her," Kitty said without looking toward Kurt or Caliban, focusing on Anna.
"Why?" Kurt asked. "I don't think that's a good idea. We should report back to Emma and Ororo."
"She's our friend," Kitty said, turning toward Kurt. "Jean's our friend. We can't let Anna go through with this, and I believe we can talk her out of it." Kurt sighed.
"I'll go along with you because I'm not going to leave you alone," Kurt said, "but if things go south we're out of here. We'll tell everybody everything."
"Leave me out of this," Caliban said.
"We will," Kitty said. "Stay out of sight. This is X-Men business. We'll show you that they have a place in this world; that they still exist and for good reason." They will. They have to. Caliban said nothing. He only slinked into a hiding place.
Kitty walked out and toward the gathered group with Kurt close behind her.
"Anna," Kitty called to her softly.
Psylocke dragged Caliban from behind them. Caliban hadn't sensed her.
Azazel appeared beside Kurt, grabbing him in a firm grip. Kurt couldn't teleport, and for some reason couldn't contact Emma.
Quicksilver took hold of Kitty, and Kitty found she couldn't phase through or away from him.
"It's Rogue," Anna said, turning toward Kitty and Kurt.
!
Students stayed out of Reva's way. She had been in a foul mood for a few days, and nobody had any idea why. All they knew is that she wanted to fight, and she'd already melted through two desks and set a few things on fire. This was her first day back in the cafeteria for lunch. She sat and stared at her food so intensely people were sure it would burst into flames.
When she felt a presence standing before her, Reva raised her gaze and found Reth.
"I refuse to accept this," Reva said through gritted teeth.
"We're going to be X-Men," Reth told her. "Don't worry." He turned and walked away. Reva, intrigued, got up from her table and followed after him.
"Do you know something I don't?" Reva questioned, catching up to him. "How do you know?"
"As long as humans and mutants share conflict," Reth said, "they're be trouble, and as long as there is trouble the world will need the X-Men." He headed up the staircase and toward the rooms. Reva continued to follow behind.
"You're right Boy Scout," Reva said, "except that doesn't mean we'll be X-Men." Reth stopped at the start of the hall for the rooms and looked toward Reva.
"Let's go get Adrian," Reth said.
"What?" Reva asked. "Why?"
"I've given you enough time to be angry," Reth said, "and I've given him enough time to sulk. Becoming an X-Man isn't going to just fall into our laps." Reva sighed.
"We got to do the work," Reva said. "Prove we're a team and can handle anything."
"You got it," Reth said, walking off again with Reva trailing him. They stopped when they reached Adrian's door. Reth knocked on it gently, and Reva knocked on it brutally. Reth gave her a look. Reva shrugged.
"Hey," Reth said. "Your emotions are so strong I can feel what you're feeling."
"I can't," Reva said, "but I know we're on the same page. We're going to be X-Men." They waited, and they heard nothing. "Let us in or I'm kicking the door down."
"I won't let her do that," Reth said, "but we got to talk. It's time."
Adrian opened the door in nothing but his boxers.
"Can you put some clothes on?" Reva said.
"I was trying to get dressed," Adrian said, "but because I know you would actually kick the door down I thought I better open it." Reva frowned and pushed him out the way to enter his room.
Reth had looked away, but he brought his eyes back around and met Adrian's. He smiled, realizing they hadn't talked since that day in the Danger Room when Adrian had encountered his other self. Reva and Adrian had reacted strongly, emotionally, when Professor Howlett left without another word. The other professors worked to calm them down, and the headmistress shut them down, saying they were proving Professor Howlett correct. Meanwhile, Reth had put his mind to work.
"You like what you see," Adrian said under his breath and smiled. He almost laughed. This brought Reth back from his thoughts. He hadn't realized he'd been staring. So many emotions surrounded Adrian Reth couldn't figure what Adrian felt toward him. Adrian had a pokerface like no one he'd ever met.
"Today guys," Reva said.
"Come on in," Adrian said. Reth didn't say anything only smiled in return and nodded. "What's this about?" Adrian asked, shutting the door as some students were surprised to see him letting others into his room and them entering of their own free will. Reva looked to Reth, so Adrian looked to Reth.
"I have a plan," Reth said. "I'm not sure I like the plan, but I think you two will."
"This will help us prove we're X-Men material?" Reva questioned.
"If we pull it off," Reth said, "yes it will. Our biggest detractor would be on our side."
"Your plan is to save Jean," Adrian said.
"Yes," Reth said. "I discovered Forge has a device that will transfer a consciousness into her mind."
"You read his thoughts?" Adrian questioned.
"I heard his thoughts when Professor Howlett left, emotions of everyone in the room ran high, and thoughts started racing," Reth said. "I figure we could talk him into sending us inside her mind, and we could save her."
"No," Reva said. "If we talk to him about it, he'll tell the others, and they'll make sure we don't go through with this. Better I get him out of his workshop, you find out how the device works, Adrian steals it, and we use it ourselves to bring Jean back."
"I had a feeling somehow you were going to make me dislike this plan even more," Reth said and a brief laugh escaped him. Reva was grinning from ear to ear.
"You were right Boy Scout," Reva said. "I love this plan. However, I won't go through with it if I'm outvoted. We've got to have two out of three." She and Reth turned toward Adrian.
"It'll be dangerous," Adrian said. "We could get trapped in Jean's mind. We could die." Reth nodded in agreement. Reva waved that off. Adrian wanted to make things right. Bring Jean back. The X-Men had suffered losses. If he could spare them another one, that's what he planned to do. "I'm in."
"Yes," Reva exclaimed. She hugged on Adrian, and then she caught herself. "You made a good choice."
"When should we get started?" Adrian asked, a little taken aback by Reva's display but more concerned with how Reth felt about his decision.
"No time like the present," Reth said. "We'll get started after classes, we don't want to look suspicious, so we can hopefully use the device by tonight. Good deal?"
"Good deal," Adrian and Reva replied.