As the ship glided through Grecian waters, all the mutants aboard scattered to various parts to gain better views of the passing water. Talise took a seat next to her brother, the ship's controls, and exchanged stories of the passing years apart. A few of the younger mutants tried to obtain seats near the two, so that they could learn more about their intriguing friend. But their attempts were blocked by the adults, as well as Jean and Scott. Those who truly knew and cared for the girl knew that she had earned and deserved the precious time with her family. After admitting defeat, Lance and Kitty attempted to find a private spot on the ship, to share an intimate moment gazing at the natural beauty of the passing sea. A few of the others formed small groups and exchange thoughts of what the island of mutants held. Never had they ventured to a place where powers and looks would be accepted.
"Hey y'all, I just thought of something."
"What's that Cheri?"
"Well this place is full of mutants right? well what if when we get there, it turns out we're the dorks of the mutant world? You know like all that we can do is small compared to what they can?"
"Woah, you're saying we go from being outcasts back home, to being losers on an island of our own kind? Harsh."
"V'ell maybe it v'on't be as bad. V'ho knows maybe v'e v'ill be considered the cool foreigners."
"Yah how did that work for you when you came overseas, Blue Boy?"
Kurt gave a generous scowl towards Pietro before sinking into a despair. Rouge placed a gentle hand on her brother's shoulder, to try and give some form of comfort. In truth she was also worried of the island. She was excited to go to a place where her powers would not label her an outcast, but what if the inhabitants rejected her for other reasons.
"So Scott, have you guys been to Sotar… Staro … uh, the island before?"
"Soteria, no I think Logan's the only one who's ever been there. When we all lived at the mansion she told stories about it, and I heard her on a few calls to the people there. She told me once that they actually have planned seasons there."
"Planned?"
"Yah they have some who can control plants and the weather, so they have a few snow days for fun and the rest of the year is spring time. That way their crops grow year round, they never run out of food and they don't have to bring attention to themselves by traveling to neighboring islands."
"Wow, Talise really thought of everything."
"That and more kid."
"Logan?"
"Remember how she brought food and supplies to all those other mutants who were imprisoned? While she did that she learned more about the people there. By the time we broke out she knew where we could make a sanctuary, who could create it, how we could protect it, how to maintain food, schools for the kids and more. I honestly think if all the world leaders got together and let her take over, she could create an ultimate world of paradise and peace."
Pietro looked up towards to 2nd floor of the ship, where the control room, Talise and her brother occupied. He could see Talise's form from one of many windows, the bright sun reflecting threw her golden orbs. He found himself lost in thought, recapping all that he now and once knew about his former house mate. He gave an unconscious chuckle at the very thought of Talise's past with the Brotherhood.
"V'hat's so funny?"
"Nothing, just thinking about how Talise is seen. You know in the Brotherhood Toad was just this weak annoying guy that we could get a laugh at, to you Xmen he was just the easiest target, and too all these mutants she rescued she's their savior. I wonder how others see her."
"Hard to say, no two people see the same thing, the same way."
"In what way?"
The group of mutants were caught off-guard, startled and many flailing back. Talise had unexpectedly leapt from the 2nd floor and landed on the railing in front of her friends.
"Woah, sorry guys."
"Talise, do I need to get the bell again?"
"Sorry dad, but I wanted to let you guys know we're about to dock."
"Wait, I don't see the island."
"Wait for it."
Within a blink of an eye a great island appeared, they were mere minutes away from the dock.
"Remember, we set up barriers so that people who passed by couldn't find the island."
"Hey T, looks like your first fan is waiting for you."
There at the dock, a man was jumping in delight. The ship docked, and no sooner where they positioned to descend when the man came running on board, pushing others out of his way and causing Lance, Scott and Gambit to fall overboard into the chilled sea.
"MY BABY! OH MY BABY GIRL HAS COME HOME!"
The man was to involved in forcing Talise into a tight hug and sobbing uncontrollably to notice the three he had sent into the water. Talise tried to calm him down, while the others helped their soaked friends. Finally everyone made it onto the dock, with Talise still trying to calm the hysteric man down.
"It's ok mom, I'm here, you need to calm down. You know too much crying can lead to wrinkles."
As if on cue the man's tears faded as he brought Talise into another bone crunching embrace.
"Oh you always know what to tell me."
"Guy's meet my mom, Dante Moretti."
"Wait, you're Dante, THE Dante. The world renown fashion designer!"
"A pleasure to meet you, always nice to find someone who enjoys my work. Speaking of fashion, Talise honey what on earth are you wearing?"
"Oh dad had them on board the Jet for me."
"I should have known, I should never have left that man in charge of you."
"What do yah mean by that?"
"I mean just look at my baby girl, she looks like every pedophile's dream come true."
"Forgive me for not taking her to the latest boutique so she could dress like some Beverly Hills tramp, like the rest of your models!"
Talise and Artemis shared a defeated sign as they witnessed another fight between their parents. They got along find most of the time but every so often a fuse would be lit and an explosion of furry would follow.
"And to think they made it look so much nicer on My Two Dads. Besides mom, I just spent the last three years as a bug munching frog boy, I really don't care how I look."
"Which reminds me, sweety what's with the new look?"
"What are you guys talking about, she just said she got the clothes from the Jet."
"No not that dear, see last time I saw my baby girl her skin was green and she was a bit more frog like. Logan?"
"I just figured when Alex changed her he altered her colors, give her a break from being swamp boy."
"I could see that, but you know how she feels about physical altering, so why would her body be different…..MY BABYY!"
Dante had captured Talise in yet another embrace, this time with Logan and Artemis also joining in. The rest of the mutants could only look on in bewilderment, Logan broke free from the embrace to try and enlighten the others to the cause of his happiness.
"When Alex altered Talise from Toad to Talise, he turned her back into her true form. There is only one way she would change from one form to another without another mutant altering her physical being."
"And that would be?"
"I went through my last metamorphosis, I'm in my fully mutated, and most powerful stage."
"Oh wow, so you're like a butterfly now?"
"Right, my first form was when I was a kid and had my bubble powers, my second was when I was green and had my frog powers and now I'm in my fully developed stage."
"And what are your powers now?"
"Now what fun would it be just showing them off now?"
"Oh who cares, by little girl's a woman now!"
"Thanks for putting that disturbing phrase out there mom."
"Oh shut up and let mama be mushy. But honey how did you morph when you were undercover in that horrid little frog boy body?"
"Well I was feeling really odd at one point, like I did when I changed the first time, so I contacted Alex and we went into hiding. We camped out in the cabin in Canada, where he morphed me back into my girl body and a few days later I went through the change. We stayed there for another few months, so that I could get use to my powers, and then he changed me back and I went back to the mission."
"Alex, you never called and told me what happened?"
"Sorry Dante but made me promise not to say anything, she wanted to tell you in person."
"Wait a sec, when did you take off for a few weeks, one of us would have noticed you gone."
I left around the first week of August, and made it back by November."
"V'ait, you couldn't have left. That v'as v'hen v'e v'ent on dat rescue mission for v'anda."
"Rescue mission? I never went on a rescue mission."
"Dah, that v'as after we all got outed as mutants and you stole my v'atch and v'e rescued v'anda and you kissed her."
"WHAT!"
"Oh sweety, it's no big deal, you know I'll love you for who you are."
"It's not that mom, I never kissed Wanda, for one I was in Canada and two she's not my type."
"How so honey?"
"I prefer outies to innies."
Logan gave a stern grunt to show his discomfort in discussing his daughter's sexual preferences. He was also curious as to who was posing as her during those months, he remembered a slight change in Toad's scent but he always thought the kid had just bathed.
"Wait a sec, oh man I'm going to kill HIM!"
"Him v'ho?"
"When I went on my trip I asked another mutant to fill in for me, Shifty. He's like Mystique, he can alter his shape, size and even smell. I asked him to fill in for my, not to feel up Wanda."
"So all those times you hit on her, it was this Shifty guy?"
"His name's Oscar, I call him Shifty for his powers, and his personality."
"If he's like such a creep, why did you have him fill in for you?"
"To be honest I never really liked the guy, so I had him pose as an annoying little frog boy, who gets constantly beat up, and if he didn't act the part right, everyone would turn on him and attack him as if he was a traitor."
"So vengeful, you must take after Logan in that department."
"A trait I carry with pride. Well enough story time, I'm in need of a wardrobe change and you guys need to see the island."
Everyone made plans to disburse and reunite within the hour. Logan had the boys gather their things so that they could set up at Dante's house, Olivia and Alex set off towards their own homes for a quick change, and the girls followed Talise in a fit of giggles, anxious to see what wonderful designs her parent had planned for her. Talise was so captive by being home with all her friends and family, she was unaware of the fearsome blue eyes watching her from afar, nor the dark plans their master had in store for her.
Alright another chapter down. So next chapter we will officially get the tour of the island and meet everyone who lives there. So let me know how I'm doing, are the characters being too sarcastic, am I being too descriptive or not descriptive enough? Are you having trouble telling who's talking at the moment? Please let me know so that I can work on becoming a better writer. Thank you.