AN UNEXPECTED GUEST
By Davide Briganti
DISCLAIMER: All the X-Men, and their likenesses, depicted in this story are
property of Marvel. No profits are made by posting this story, which is writ-
ten only for entertainment purposes. Sid "Renegade" Mayer, Seyla of Arborea
and Songmaster Thax are copyrights of me, so if you wanna use them, please
ask me first.
* * *
Sid Mayer was thoughtfully looking at the sky above his head, watching the
grey clouds as they slowly moved from one place to another, oblivious to his
presence down there.
The sun was setting, and the western horizon was bathed in a crimson radiance:
three small clouds were standing still in the light, like bloodstains against
the blue.
"Bad omens" he thought gazing at the whole scene. The impending danger was cre
eping in his body, making him feel like a cold gust of wind was piercing right
through his stomach; and even if he was used to it, his mind was still trying
to figure out what would happen....by any means.
A female voice coming from behind his back attracted his attention: "What are
ya doin' out theah, sugah? Ya'll be late at dinner!"
Sid sighed deeply, as he would do everytime he was concerned about something.
"Just thinking" he answered, still looking far away.
Rogue reached his side. "Hmm. Nah, ya're not deceivin' me. Ya worryin' 'bout
somthin'. Care ta tell?"
He returned to face skywards. "Someting's gonna hit, and it's big. I'd better
prepare myself."
"'Xcuse me, sugah, but this poor girl doesn't follow ya."
Sid waved his hand, half-smiling. "Oh, nevermind. I'm only ranting."
Rogue huffed, arms crossed. "Do what ya wish. Ah'm goin' ta eat."
The young martial artist stood silent, listening to Rogue's paces fading away
towards the mansion. Still pondering about his uncertain future, he slowly
turned to follow her.
***
The room was completely dark, save for the dim light of a computer screen.
Basking in this light, the mutant genetist known only as Mr. Sinister was loo
king with increasing interest at what was appearing on it.
"Seems that a new player has entered the contest" he murmured as various messa
ges continued to scroll over. "Let's see who...or what...he is."
And with that, he pressed a button, smiling wickedly. Another monitor lighted
up, showing the top of a hill on which a skinny, hairy man dressed in rags was
madly dancing, describing a slowly widening circle with more and more speed
under a starlit, moonless sky.
As the dance went on, the man begun to sing in an unpleasant, screeching tone
speaking in an incoherent manner and a inintelligible language.
Bolts of lightning went down from the sky with a thunder, striking the ground
around him and bouncing back on different angles over and over: soon the air
near the site was a blinding and deafening chaos of electricity.
"Interesting, indeed" Sinister said to himself.
Suddenly, a giant shadow appeared in the middle of the electric storm: it was
a crossbreed between a praying mantis and a horse, with four long legs and two
arm-like appendages which ended with sharp bone blades. The head was identical
to that of an insect, with large, multi-faced eyes, a pair of powerful mandi
bles, and two long antennae.
Another identical creature appeared, and then another one, and another: in the
space of five minutes, an entire swarm of the monstrous being was standing
atop the hill. Their unnerving screeches were almost covering the ever-present
thunders and the insane singing of the man: with a last scream, both the ligh
tning and the man vanished from sight, and the creatures swarmed down the hill
towards the lights of the nearby town.
"I've watched enough." Sinister finally said "Those creatures could turn into
a useful weapon. I'd better capture one or two specimen for experimentation."
With a quick gesture, he shut down the two monitors and stepped hastily out
of the room.
***
Robert Drake, known as Iceman, turned his head from the figure lying on the
ground and towards the mansion as a telepathic call from Psylocke showed up in
his mind.
* How are you faring, Bobby? *
* I found her, Betts. Better you all get here fast..._this_ is a sight to see! *
* What do you mean by 'her'? *
* It's a girl, but she's dressed strangely. You'll see. *
* Okay, we're coming. See ya. *
Ten minutes later, Iceman was stepping into the main hall of the School holding a
slim, pretty young woman with long, flowing dark brown hair and slightly orien
tal features. Her skin was pale and perfect, and all the figure radiated an
aura of frailty that added to her beauty.
A door opened, and Sid came inside. "Hey Bobby! Did you find the cause of that
electrical stor.....NO! ANYONE BUT HER!!!". He retreated with a shocked expres
sion as he recognized the woman, interposing his extended arms as if to push
away something.
Bobby, Elizabeth and Cyclops looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Calm
down, Sid. It's just an unconscious girl." Scott said approaching him.
The young man pushed him away and quickly approached Bobby. "Go to my room.
This one 'll have a lot of things to explain when she'll wake up!", he snarled.
Shrugging, the X-Man walked towards Sid's room, followed by his teammates, and
gently laid the woman on the bed. Sid appeared at the door, his expression
still filled with repressed rage as he slowly leaned over her. "You." he hissed
"Of all the person I've ever met in my miserable existance, it had to be you."
On that moment, the girl opened her eyes: seeing his face hovering over her,
she smiled sweetly and tears begun to form in her deep green eyes. "I knew it.
I knew you would come back to me, one day.", she purred in the musical tongue
of the Arborean people, and put her arm around his neck.
"Hey...." Sid begun, but her move caught him off balance and before he could
react her lips were passionately pressing against his own.
"I do hope I'm not interrupting anything important, _dear_."
"Oh-oh" Sid thought as he recognized Ororo's voice. Quickly, he pushed the
astonished girl back on the bed and turned to face his girlfriend, raising a
hand.
"Uhm, honey....it's not what it might appear, just let me explain...." he begun,
but as he gazed right into her eyes, instead of anger he found only sorrow.
A sorrow that lasted only a moment before being drowned in indifference and
coldness, but was enough to rip his soul open like paper under a tiger's claws.
He stood silent, totally annihilated. She turned and left the room, leaving
only the faint sound of footsteps behind in the total silence.
Sid's rage overwhelmed him, and energy begun crackling all around his body when
he turned to face the girl that, now awake and fully aware of her surroundings,
was clutching the pillow in fear.
"YOU!" he roared, then closing his eyes he breathed deeply and tried to regain
control: soon the energy spark blurred, and then vanished.
She lowered her eyes. "Why are you so mad at me, my love?" she asked, still
slightly shaking, "I don't know where I am, I don't know how I got here from
my beloved homeland save for the fact I got caught by a lightning bolt and
survived, the first thing I see when I wake up is you, my promised....I kiss
you and you yell at me without a motivation. Why?"
Sid placed his hands on his face before answering: "Because I'm NOT your promi
sed, nor I ever wished to be and I _NEVER_ WILL!! Why can't you understand?"
Betsy placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Please Sid, calm down and try to ex
plain us what's going on. Since you two started bickering, we haven't understood
a word of what you were saying."
Sid coughed a couple of time, then turned towards the door. "Sure, you'll know
all. But first, I must try to save my relationship. See you later." And with
that, he stepped hastily out of the room: outside the mansion, the rain begun
to fall.
***
END OF PART 1
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