Chapter 32

Clark listened attentively to every word Sooraya said. You could physically feel the weight lift off her as she confessed to everything that the Hellions have done this last week. Though her confession is missing the important detail over Empath and Magma's relationship. Not out of any deliberate deception on Dust's part. She simply doesn't know about it as Emma had kept the details of Manuel's manipulations of Amara to herself.

When she finishes there is silence for a moment. Superman reaches forward and places a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. I know this cannot have been easy for you," he says softly, grateful that she chose to make this, what must have been for her, an immensely difficult decision to go behind her team's and her teacher's back.

"It was not," Sooraya admits, a sigh of relief escaping her now she's over the initial hurdle of confessing. "I owe Ms Frost much. I am only here in this country because of her. Now I have betrayed her I do not know what will happen to me."

"We'll sort that out," Superman promises that they'll fix her visa issues, whatever they are. "And it is never a betrayal to stay true to who you are and what you believe, Sooraya," he assures her she has done the correct thing. "Though sometimes you do have to take the anger on the chin of those who don't understand that," he cautions they there may well be a backlash she has to face down.

Sooraya looks up, worry clearly etched into her visible eyes.

"It'll be alright. I promise...and I never break my promises," Superman tells her sincerely. He then goes on to confess a truth or two himself. "Truth is Sooraya the X-Men and I suspected much of what you have said. It would be why I've been out of town as much as I could get away with this week. I knew Emma was just waiting to try something like this and I wasn't going to take the chance of being caught in it."

"Y-you knew?"

"Suspected," he corrects. "The way they've been taunting everyone at school. Pushing everyone's buttons. It was clear, to me at least, they were trying to provoke a reaction. I thought though the X-Men were smarter than to fall for it." he remarks after learning from her of his friends' arrest. He mentally shakes his head at them.

"How do you know what has been happening at school?" Sooraya asks because he isn't there...is he?

"I'm always around," Superman says with a lopsided grin. He sobers up. "There is little I can do legally to aid the X-Men. I'll have to leave the Professor and the lawyers to sort that out. Though the fact you say Empath has been involved explains why emotions have been so high."

"There is more," Sooraya says, her voice shaking slightly.

Superman arches an eyebrow. "Please," he requests her to say it.

"It is not about I or the Hellions. It is about Penance. She is the other reason I called for you. I need to help her," Sooraya says with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"What's wrong with her?" Superman asks with instant concern, glancing at the red-skinned mutant. She looks fine to him.

"She's...she's..." Sooraya struggles to say it.

"It's ok. Tell me," Superman says soothingly.

"She's Monet," Sooraya says it with a wave of relief that she is finally able to tell someone that.

Superman looks...twice. Then he looks at Penance and then back up to Sooraya. His jaw hangs loose. "Um...you're going to need to explain that one," he requests, clearly lost about what Sooraya is saying.

"Have you ever heard tell of her brother, Marius?" Sooraya begins with.

Superman nods to confirm he has. "Yeah, Volcana told me about him. Monet's twin sisters banished him into another dimension, correct?"

"That is so," Sooraya confirms the truth of that. "However, just before Christmas, he returned and attacked us at the Academy. His powers had grown so that he could infect people, enslave their minds and turn them into his servants. He managed to do this to several of us. The dimension where he had been banished to had also physically destroyed him. He was...I have no wish to be insulting, but it had turned him into a twisted wreck of a man. He needed an apparatus to assist his breathing. His main goal, though, was vengeance on Monet. He felt she needed to be taught a lesson, to endure a Penance, for all the mean things she had said and done to him as they were growing up. We defeated him in the end. Ms Frost managed to extract from his mind how to reverse what he had done to those he had enslaved and then the M-twins, Monet's sisters, banished him back to where they sent him before but the damage had been done. Monet was transformed into what you see now and Ms Frost could find no way in his mind on how to reverse it."

Superman...Clark knows Sooraya enough to know she rarely lies...if she does at all. Her words are sincere. He walks over to the red-skinned mutant and bends down to her height. He gently reaches a hand out. Penance flinches. "Shh, hey, hey," he says softly. "It's ok. I won't hurt you."

"She is afraid of hurting you. Her skin is diamond hard," Sooraya explains why Penance is reacting in the fashion she is.

"And mine is steel hard," Superman says back.

"Penance...it's alright," Sooraya says.

That seems to placate the mutant and she allows this man to touch her.

Clark gently cups her cheek and softly strokes her face with his thumb. She makes a soft noise back. Almost a purr. She leans into his touch. Clark realises that it must have been ages since anyone has been able to give her a physical touch and comfort. "How was this done?" he asks for details, his anger rising up at this repulsive act.

"It was done courtesy of the same person who freed Marius in the 1st place."

Superman looks up at Sooraya, awaiting the answer.

"Selene."

"Selene," Superman repeats with spite. "Magic," he mutters with disdain at what he can now see was done to Monet. It's a curse. He does listen to Wanda when she talks about what she is learning.

"He was suppose to get Selene's payback on Emma as well," Sooraya elaborates further the reasons behind it all as far as she knows them.

"They did a deal," Superman can quickly see what transpired as he puts what Sooraya has said together. Selene freed Marius and he was suppose to get payback on her behalf on Emma. As part of it he must have asked Selene for the means to punish Monet for what he must have seen as her wrongs against him. Only he failed...partially. Clark doubts Selene is very happy with him about that. Clark looks carefully into those soft blue pupil-less eyes of Penance. "Monet?" he queries gently.

"She does not answer to her name any more. We are not sure what is left of her mind. She only ever responds to Penance," Sooraya informs him.

"Why this form?" Superman wonders why, out of the almost infinite possibilities, Marius chose to turn Monet into this.

"I can't be certain but from what I heard Marius say that day I believe he thought it ironic. Monet was...is arrogant."

"I remember."

"She values her looks and her intelligence."

"And Marius took both away," Clark can see the irony part...or at least see how Marius thought it ironic. In truth Penance can be awful cute and adorable looking.

"He mocked her by saying she always did have a sharp tongue and now she literally did. He also took away her voice."

Clark is...very annoyed to put it mildly. If Marius hadn't been banished Clark would have done it, right into the Phantom Zone.

"I do not know what Ms Frost planned to do to reverse it," Sooraya admits.

"Assuming she ever planned to," Superman cautions.

Sooraya wonders if that is true.

"Why bring her here to Bayville?" he wonders. It was something they had all wondered from the moment the Hellions came since they wished to stay low profile and Penance stood out. Now he has heard this story his curiosity as to why has only been enforced.

"Me," Sooraya gives the answer. "I'm the only one she seems to listen to so when Ms Frost picked me to come to Bayville Penance had to come with me. I help keep her calm. I feed her and water her and bathe her."

"You look after her."

"It is not a burden. It is what is right."

Superman smiles. "Yes. It is. You're a wonderful person Sooraya. Remember that."

Sooraya bows. "Thank you."

Clark turns his focus back to Penance. Now that Sooraya has told him he can see it. See Monet's general features under that red diamond-esque skin. "Monet...if you can hear and understand me I promise you this. I will not rest until I find a way to reverse what has been done to you," he vows because how can he do anything else but seek to reverse this wrong. It doesn't matter what sort of person Monet was, no-one deserves this.

Penance looks at him sadly with her blue eyes...and then suddenly she launches herself at him, throwing her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Clark hugs her back. "I promise," he repeats in a whisper.

A lone tear rolls down Penance's cheek.

At the Institute...

The Professor had managed to pay bail for his students and get them out of jail. Whether they would face charges...that was still up in the air for now. He had his lawyers working on it.

They return and walk through the doors to find Storm waiting for them, an intense expression on her face. Something is wrong.

Charles' mind soon senses the strong yet familiar psychic presence. "Emma is here," he verbalises what he senses.

"In your office," Storm adds on.

"What does she want now?" Jean asks, her tone one of deep unhappiness.

"I'll deal with this," Charles insists, knowing how on edge everyone is at the moment. "The rest of you to your rooms. We'll discuss your actions today and their consequences later," he orders them.

They trudge off as ordered. Scott tries to talk to Jean...which they haven't been doing much of these last few days.

"I have nothing to say to you right now, Scott," Jean says sternly as she quickens her pace up the stairs.

"Jean," he pleads as he chases after her.

"Don't 'Jean' me, Scott. I warned you. How many times have I told you that there is nothing redeemable about Emma. And if what has happened not only today but this last week hasn't opened your eyes then I really think we need to take a break because I'm sick of not being listened to or respected," she tells him, her anger and frustrations at him clearly coming through in her tone.

"I always respect you!" Scott insists.

Jean pauses at the top of the stairs, her head snapping round and she glares at him. "Yet you completely ignore me when I speak of Emma," she lays down her argument.

"I don't ignore you. I disagree with you. There's a difference," Scott debates her argument.

"No, Scott. It's not a disagreement," Jean dismisses his case and then lays down hers. "If it were you would at least listen and consider my point of view. You dismiss it out of hand...and for what? That's what I really don't get. What are you hoping to achieve? To turn Emma back to the good side? Have her rejoin the Institute? Pick up where you left off when you use to date, perhaps?"

Scott's expression sours. "Now you're being ridiculous."

"Am I?"

"Yes! I love you! You!" he insists.

Jean wants to believe him. You don't know how much she does but this issue with Emma has been festering and festering. And she has tried to be understanding. When Scott agreed to that dinner he vaguely promised Emma once she wasn't happy he went and did it but she trusted him. The bottom line is she just cannot see or understand what it is that keeps Scott going back to try and save Emma or whatever the hell he is thinking. The only explanation that keeps slipping into her mind is the bad one that involves Scott's feelings towards Emma.

One may point out here she is a telepath and wouldn't she just know. It's not that simple. It really isn't. Scott and Jean have known each other for a long time. Time enough for Scott to learn of ways to hide his deepest thoughts from her if he wants to. Scott's good at repression.

Jean closes her eyes and rubs the spot between them. She feels a migraine coming on. She opens them again and fixes their intense green gaze onto her boyfriend. The top of the stairs in public probably isn't the best place to do this. Especially in this mansion full of gossip mongers but she needs to know. "So where are you now Scott?"

"I don't understand."

"You've been in this totally contradictory position for months of not trusting the Hellions but forever seemingly giving Emma the benefit of the doubt. So after this last week where are you now? Where do you see Emma now?"

There's an alarm going off somewhere in Scott's head. He feels like this is a trap. Best idea. Not answer it right now. "Jean...it's been a long day. I haven't had time to process everything yet."

Jean shakes her head. "You were in prison half the day. That should have been plenty of time to think things over, Scott. You're procrastinating. It's a really simple question. The problem you're having is that you already have the answer and it's one you know I won't like so you don't want to say it. I'm...at a loss here, Scott. What is it about Emma Frost you just can't let go? Not even for me."

Scott's silence speaks volumes.

"I'm not going to yell or scream," Jean says as much to herself as to Scott. "But I will say this. You need to decide what it is you really want, Scott. And until you do we're on a break."

"Jean. Is that not going too far?" he asks, thinking she's overreacting.

"Scott, the alternative is that I telekinetically shove your thick head to join that pole up your ass," Jean says, her anger seething quietly. "Emma is not your friend. She's not our friend. Whatever goodness there use to be is long gone. There is only the White Queen of the Hellfire Club now. And if you can't see that...then this break is in serious danger of becoming permanent. When you decide what you want you know where I am," she tells him and then storms off before she loses control of her emotions.

Scott stands there numb, unable to do anything, to say anything to stop her.

Jean reaches her room, slams the door shut, collapses on her bed and cries into her pillow.

Down the stairs in the Professor's office Charles knows something bad has happened. Emma is looking way too smug...and she's not even trying to hide the similar feelings emanating from her.

"Tough day?" Emma queries, almost sniggering.

Charles rolls behind his desk. "Emma I'm not even remotely in the mood to indulge your games so please just get to it," he almost snaps her head off which is out of character for him but he's had a stressful week, let alone just today.

"How rude," Emma comments with false offence.

"So is the fact you set my students up."

"Charles I'm outraged you could accuse me like that," Emma says, placing a hand over her chest as if truly shocked he could accuse her of something like that.

"Why, Emma?" Charles asks bluntly, not playing her games.

"Are we speaking hypothetically?"

Charles sighs. "Of course," he indulges her even when he just said he wouldn't.

"Hypothetically speaking if I did set you up it would be to bring a reality check and to show you that your ridiculous idealism won't achieve a damn thing. It would show that a few carefully manipulated headline grabbing stunts in the media can gain more positive press in a week than you've managed in a year. It would demonstrate to your students how the Hellfire Club and its resources and methods are the only hope of creating that future you dream of and that how much better off they would be joining us. In fact one of your students already has."

Charles' face drops like a stone.

Emma smiles widely as she can sense that bombshell hit home. "Oh yes. It's quite true. Don't bother trying to find her. She's on her way to Boston as we speak. She packed while you were downtown bailing your students out."

Charles' mind reaches out. Who could have... "Amara," he quickly finds the missing one.

"I like her. She's very sensible," Emma compliments the girl. "And quite powerful too I sense. A lot of untapped potential that you were wasting," she criticises him. Emma reaches into a purse resting at her feet and pulls out a sealed envelope. "She left you a letter. Very considerate child. She wished to explain her reasons without the aggravation of doing it in person."

"Her idea or yours?" he asks as he takes the letter in hand.

"Both," Emma answers. "Lets face it, Charles, you would have tried to play on her emotions and attachments to try and talk her out of it. I know it. She knows it. You know it. I am here simply as a courtesy to inform you of her decision so you didn't fly into a panic over thinking she had gone missing. When Amara is ready to do so I will not stop her contacting her friends here. For now she needs some time away to let it sink in and for her adjust to her new reality." Emma rises to her feet. "Now that I've informed you I'll take my leave. I can imagine I'm not too popular at the moment around here but that will change when your students have had a chance to allow this week's events to sink in."

Charles stows any more words. He's too annoyed and angry to quite trust himself not to say something he might regret later. He really thought they were getting somewhere with Emma and the Hellions and now he finds out he has fallen for the same Hellfire Club tricks and deceits as before.

"I'll see myself out," Emma says. "Ta, ta," she waves goodbye, really rubbing it in. She walks to the door and opens it. She then pauses. "Oh, just to say you needn't worry about any more 'accidents' occurring. I've gotten what I wanted," she says with a smirk before she strides away with almost a swagger.

Charles drops his face into his hands and takes a moment...or 5 to calm himself. Some time passes before he hears that familiar sound...

Whoosh!

...and there's that gust of wind that blows through.

"Some days you just want to slap her right?"

Charles looks up to find Clark standing in his office in his Superman costume and gives the alien teen a puzzled look at his words.

"Emma," Clark clarifies.

"You heard?"

"Most of it but she hasn't won as big a victory as she thinks, Professor. Trust me. In fact I can show you if you want a pep up."

Charles is sufficiently intrigued that he follows Clark into the lobby. To his surprise he finds Dust, Penance and what must be their belongings in suitcases and bags.

Clark explains it thusly. "You know what they say Professor. You lose one. You win two," he says with a smug grin.

Sooraya bows deeply from the waist. After her confession to Superman there was only one course of action left for her. To leave the Hellions and Ms Frost and come here and Superman promised to help arrange it. "Professor Xavier. If it is not too much trouble may Penance and I join your Institute?"

Charles feels a sudden lifting of his mood. Not completely because Amara's still gone but look at what is before him. "Miss...Qadir isn't it?"

"Yes, sir," she confirms.

"All are welcome at my Institute. All you need but do is ask."

"Thank you, sir," she says gratefully. "I promise we shall be no trouble," she gives her word.

"I'm certain you won't be," Charles humours her slightly with his reply. He then looks up at Clark. "I assume you can explain all of this."

"Yep," Clark confirms. "But, if Sooraya will forgive me for saying this, the 1st priority is to help Penance."

Sooraya forgives him because he is correct. Her problems pale compared to Penance.

Charles brow puckers in confusion. "Why? What is wrong with her?"

Clark walks over to Penance and takes her by the shoulders. "Professor Xavier, let me reintroduce you to Monet Yvette Clarisse Maria Therese St Croix."

Charles is flabbergasted. Clark does joke but it's possible to tell when he's being deadly serious. This is one of those times. "One of those days?" he inquires.

"One of those days," Clark confirms.

New York...

It is at one hospital that a brown-haired, blue-eyed paramedic is just...well she doesn't want to say counting down the clock till her shift ends because last time she did that one of those 'Code Blue' emergencies got called. That's the new call sign for a super-villain attack. Yep they have to have a call sign for those these days.

The world is becoming a very messed up place.

Yet whenever she hears one of those who is the first to respond?

That's right. Her.

Her friends all call her an adrenaline junkie.

They could be right...but then again if she didn't live this way she would never have met him.

And her life would be poorer for that.

As she sits on the back step of her ambulance she leans back and smiles at the thought of him.

She wonders where he is right now.

"Ho! Jane Foster!"

Speak of the devil...or in this case Thunder God who has just seemingly appeared from nowhere a dozen or so feet away from her.

Jane Foster smiles wider at seeing the mass of blond hair...which completely contrasts with her short pixie cut. "Let me guess...you were in the neighbourhood," she jokes with a cute smile.

Thor smiles back. "Aye. Tis the case indeed."

Oh she knows he's lying but Jane lets it go because...well have you seen him? One twinkle of those blue eyes and he turns her to jelly. Has done since practically the day they met all those months ago. Plus the idea that an actual God makes the effort just to come see her, a mortal woman, does wonders for the ego.

So yeah she's rather infatuated with him. He's like no man she has ever dated. Just to hear him speak in that strange tongue...to hear him describe the world in ways she could never imagine before...the things he has shown her...

Jane lacks the words to describe the wonders.

Thor strides over, ignoring the gawking all Jane's colleagues are giving him. She was like no woman he had ever met...well no mortal woman in any case. Ironically, considering the day he has had, it was that day when he first battled the Wrecking Crew he first met her. She was one of the...first responders he believes they are called. To see this very mortal woman, without armour or weapon, throw herself in danger to help the injured intrigued him.

Afterwards Thor couldn't stop himself having to get to know her better...to understand why she acted the way she did. He befriended her and through her perhaps learned a lesson or two about not to underestimate mortals. How they refuse to accept the limitations, the fragility of their existence, he would see in them. In time their bond grew beyond friendship...and here they are.

"You're in luck. I'm just about finished my shift," she tells him.

"Is that so? I had no idea twas the case," he lies...badly.

Jane can always tell when he's lying. His fingers drum on his hammer in a nervous twitch when he lies. She chuckles. That is so...sweet. He probably doesn't even realise it is but it is. "Oh hey, while you're here I should introduce you to my new rook," she decides, suddenly recalling he hasn't met her new work partner yet.

"Thou's new what?" Thor asks, suitably confused by the strange term she is using.

"Rookie...uh, apprentice?" she tries.

"Ah. I see," Thor understands.

"Hey rook!" Jane calls out to her new trainee partner.

Round from the other side of the ambulance a young man, about 6', with short brown hair and brown eyes comes...and stops abruptly at seeing the giant blond man in armour.

"Pray tell Jane what dost happened to thou's last...apprentice?" Thor wonders since that man who use to be at her side on duty is no longer with her.

"Oh he quit. Couldn't keep up with me," she says proudly. In truth diving head-first into supervillain battles wasn't for everyone and not everyone could cope with it. Her last partner couldn't. "Luckily not a problem you have is it?" she teases Thor.

Thor smiles at her challenge of him. "It is not. Nor hast it ever been in all mine years." He turns his attention to the young man. "Greetings young mortal. And what name dost thou go by."

The man opens and closes his jaw several times.

"Cat got your tongue, rook," Jane teases him.

The man shakes himself out of it and answers. "Uh...um...Davis...Bloome. My name is Davis Bloome."

Author's Note: Ah relationship troubles for Jean and Scott though it's probably been building for awhile since I've hinted at a few times he and Jean have many an argument over his feelings for Emma. How long or permanent a break this is you'll just have to wait and see. Davis Bloome...oh dear. I see trouble or more accurately Doom ahead. Though for now this is just a cameo I've long wanted to do. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; I'm going to with No Good Deed part 7 as we're not quite through all the direct fallout yet as Dust and Penance try and settle in to their new home.