Paige's Room -- 12th Floor -- Tower of Illusion -- Niflheim
Smells of soft leather fill this darkened room which is primarly lit by
a small brass lamp with green shade upon a fine mahogny desk. The walls are of
cherrywood as well as the floor which is covered with a large red rug with an
inviting pattern. Two high backed leather chairs face the desk and behind
another. Many of the walls are lined with bookshelves which hold a great
number of books. It looks exactly like Xavier's study back at Xavier's
Mansion, except pictures hanging on the wall are different, and there's a
minor amount of "girlish" touch it it, light blue flowers in vaces. This room
has someone inside it as well.
Sitting behind the desk, arms folded in her lap calmly, is a middle-aged
woman, likely in her mid-thirties, with fair skin. Her skin is unwrinkled,
despite the fact that she looks fairly old, and not a strand of gray shows in
her wheat-blonde hair that is pulled up out of her face with combs. Her eyes
are a clear blue, and show her age more then her face. They're the eyes of
someone who has seen way too much in their day. She's wearing a uniform. That
of an X-Man.
The room started off blank, and after about thirty minutes of allowed
rest - yes, not much, but Lishka is getting tired of giving away rest breaks,
they're no longer much fun. Instead of a door to another room appearing, the
room just changes. It shimmers slightly, turning into a fair sized room. And a
fair sized, fairly familar to some of you all room. It's obviously Xavier's
Office in the X-Mansion, but the strange parts is there are things in it that
would not point to Xavier. For one, there's a picture of many different teams.
The original X-Men with Xavier. The "new" X-Men with Xavier. The original New
Mutants. And then, further down, is a picture of... something odd. X-Men in
uniform, but not X-Men as they should be. Standing in the uniforms in the
picture, looking proud and quite happy, are slightly older - less then a year
or two - versions of Sam, Jubilee, Paige, Terry, and Ev, along with a couple
X-Men, including Wolverine and Gambit and Cyclops. Then the pictures continue
to change. People who are unknown, possibly imaginary, but what remains
constant is Sam, Jubilee, Paige, Terry and Ev. In that order. Until one day
when Paige stands in the place that Xavier once held. No pictures of Jono or
Joliene or Marrow appear anywhere. There are no further pictures then what
would have normally been in Xavier's Office of Gwen, Will, Roberto or Warlock.
Also there's one other -big- change. An older version of Paige, who looks
stunningly a lot like the one that got shattered in the previous floor, except
slightly younger, no gray and a little more pleasent in attitude. She doesn't
seem to see any of you yet, looking deep in thought.
"What the...?" Paige is tired and worn and ... and she just wants to lay down,
take a nap, and have this all be over. But when she awoke from said catnap -
she was someplace different, alright, but not where she WANTed to be. She was
summarily dissappointed. "Great. Weah in Xavier's office." She remembers
meeting the man very clearly - he had a pleasent smile and he was her *idol*.
The briliant man who'd brought together the X-Men! And... and there she is, in
his chair. Or, rather, her older self. "Ah.. Ah think this is foah me." She
says softly, as she looks over the woman, suddenly pensive. She's silent as
she circles the chair, her eyes dark and troubled, as she takes in this woman
- Someone that she might like to be, but never will be.
Jono almost passed out, slipping into rest mode as long as he and Paige were
safe, trying to restore the limited reserves that he drained blasting on the
evil older-folks. Once the rooms starts to shift, Jono pushes himself up,
pushing himself to a sitting position, looking around the room, (~~..least
there's no m're water...~~) he quips as he pushes himself up, (~~...yeah, c'ld
b'yers, gel...~~) he says, a mental groan following it as he finds a 'painful'
spot in his back.
Yes, this is definitely for Paige. Must be a desire room, it's clearly her
leading the X-Men, his sister's greatest dream. Sam slips his hands into his
tattered jean pockets, peering around the room with a bit of a shrug. "Yeah,
Ah reckon this is foah ya, Paigey..." He wanders over to the pictures with a
bit of a grunt, right leg obviously in some pain. Each picture is studied
carefully, noting who is not in them, and realising Gen-X wasn't even formed.
"That's strange..." He murmurs.
Jubilee frowns rather heavily as she looks all around the room.. Xavier's
office.. Paige isn't the only one who idolizes the man. But unlike Paige, Jube
has no desire to lead the X-Men. All she ever wanted to be was Wolvie's side-
kick. His partner. Be a part of the X-Men family that she loved.. Which is
sort of why the thought of /Paige/ leading them - leading /her family/ - makes
Jube's skin /crawl/. Her eyes drift over all the pictures and then down to the
older Paige. Or more specificly, her fingers. Looking for a ring, Jube? "Gosh
Jono, Sam, I wonder what tipped you guys off." she drones, obviously not in a
good mood.
Irish picks up one of the pictures, she tilts it a bit, "Back when m' da first
joined the team, he looks like he dinna ha' th' weight o' th' world on him
then. Things change," she places it down then taking up another, the one where
she's clearly in a uniform resembling her father's, "Braidin' m' hair back.
Tad m're sensible," she unconsiously flicks her hair back. She seriously
doubts she'll ever where it like that in uniform, after all she is just a tiny
bit vain of her hair, she places the picture down, "Well at least it tain't a
fear. Th' desires are tolerable."
*Knock-Knock-Knock* There's a rapping at your chamber door... Wait,
wrong theme. Sort of. Anyway, there is a knock, and it's followed by a soft,
"Paige, can I come in?" sounds like... Jubilee? just older. Hope they aren't
lovers in this world too! Older, saner Paige is pulled from her thoughts and
she grins, "Sure, come on in, sis." 'Sis?' ok, what's up? And where'd Paige's
accent go? The leader of the X-Men in this reality stands up as the door
opens, revealing and older, more knowledgable Jubilee, possibly as old as
thirty, maybe late twenties. They hug slightly, but other then that they don't
show any form of a relationship besides friendship. Perhaps this is also a
world where a certain boy with no hair on his head who will remain nameless
didn't come between them? They had no reason to hate each other when Jubilee
returned from her tramatic experience with Sinister and ran to the X-Men for
help. And they didn't first meet in Muir Island. And hense, this Jubilee is
looking incredably happy, and comfortable around Paige - not to mention the
fact that she's wearing short sleved shirts and no bracelets. And also, she
has a ring. As does Paige. Hmm. Wonder who the lucky men are. The said happy
and older Jubilee grins and says, "We're about to run Kaitlyn through her
first training room. Thought you'd like to watch. Or actually, your -husband-
thought you'd like to watch. He knows how much you enjoy watching the kids
train."
At LEAST they didn't kiss and look all smoochy like. Paige would have been
have been forced to try and kill herself is she saw that. She has *NO*
feelings except a general, all-purpose, all-occasion loathing for Jubilee.
It's just how it works. She looks down at the hands as Jubilee does, and as
older Jubilee mentions husband. Well, they've both got wedding rings. And ...
Ev's in the photo, as is Sam. Jubille called her 'sis'....and... and... no,
she's not going to even *CONSIDER* the possibility. "Kaitlyn?" She says,
looking back at Jubilee quietly. "Nahce name." She drawls as she looks back to
the pair of older women. Oh, boy....
The brit is a car behind Paige on that train of thought. Sam and Ev in the
photos, no faceless Psi. Paige calling Jubes 'sis'. A room of 'desire'. Jono
slowly draws in on himself, zipping his leather jacket up selfconsciously,
wrapping a strip of ragged clothe over the gap in his face. He shoves his
fists into his jacket pocket, looking at that older Paige and Jubilee..
Sam sort of stands there in a bit of shock, watching the scene play out. Did
old Jube just call old Paige 'Sis'? Nooo! Say it ain't so! Sam glances over to
Jubilee in wonderment, still taken by surprise. It's nothing bad, just a
surprise. "Well...this is new..." Is all he manages to offer, hands still in
pockets as he lets the scene play out. Oi, when will this end!!!???
Wedding rings. On both of them. Sam and Ev in the pictures. Jono backnig away
from Paige. Older Paige and Jube all chummy. Paige and Jube 'sisters'. No, it
doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's happened. Jubilee has
married Sam, and Paige got Ev. The bitch. She darts a look over to Sam the
same time he looks at her, and just to put on the facade that she could care
less, she waggles her eyesbrows and blows him a kiss. She's trying to make
light of the situation. Pretend she didn't just think that grabing Paige by
the throat and screaming at her that Ev is /Jube's/ would be a good idea. Her
gaze darts over to Paige again at the compliment on the name, and she shrugs.
"Sam probably picked it." Since it's not Asian, and Jube's always wanted to
name atleast her first child a Chinese name. Besides, it sounds like a Guthrie
name. ... Jubilation Guthrie... Again, Jube turns her gaze to look at Sam.
"S' I take it congratulations are in order," Terry leans towards Sam and
Jubilee. She couldn't help herself. She knows she'll probably get a pummeling
from Jubilee for that one. But hey its entertaining. Red bites her tounge
trying not to say anything else disturbing.
Sane Paige gives a smile, "Kaitlyn, hmm? Her power is almost completely
non-combat, but I am sure she will do well. She seems like a smart and very
able young woman." *ahem* Kaitlyn obviously isn't a child of those in the
room, so that thing is cleared up. Now as for the Chinese woman standing
there, she chuckles, "Paige, you've only known her for a week. And she kind of
reminds me of you, which is scary." There's a echo of the chuckle from the
blonde woman, "Yes, it does seem scary. Is the world ready for another girl
who looks a lot like me? I'd say not. And anyway, that's part of the reason I
think she'll do so good. -I- always did good." There's a playful punch from
the Jubilee look-alike, "Oh stop it. -I- remember the time when we were with
the X-Men that you accidently 'shrrrrrped' into a fish. In the middle of a
fight. And on dry land of all places. Woman, you make mistakes a fine -art-."
And in response, "Oh shut -up-, fireworks." ... "You first, hick." It all
sounds playful and friendly, and after that, they start towards the door,
planning to leave. Stay here, or follow, the choice is yours.
Nope - Paige is hot on thier trail. "Ah haven't done anythin' lahke that in
ages. Fish..." She shakes her head, and just chuckles dryly to herself. Huh.
How long has it been since she was anything like the woman before her? A year
ago, she might be friends with Jubilee. Hell, six months ago, she might have
been! But now? No, not at all. "C'mon, Ah guess.." She calls back over her
shoulder as she follows the pair out.
Jono doesn't seem too eager to follow. Paige and Ev, Paige and Ev. Jono not
even in the pictures.. (~~...`least I'm not _dead_ in this one...~~) he says,
bitterness lacing his tone. The psi withdraws into himself with every little
quip, swearing to blast Lishka into Nosgath, or wherever the hell she comes
from. This can't be what Paige desires.. can it? He doesn't seem eager to
stick around, either, taking up the rear of the group, his hands stuffing into
his jacket, his shoulders held up, like he was cold.
Jubilee mutters "The only way I'm ever gunna be Paige's sister is if her mom
/adopts/ me." to herself as she follows along with the group, bringing up..
well.. the second to the rear. Yeah, Jono's got a new walking buddy as Jube
stares daggers into the back of Paige's head. "Yeah, you've just been passed
up." she comments with a tangibly snide edge to Jono. Yeah, bad mood. Major
PMS goin' on.
Gwen Namura looks around, shrugs, and skips after Jubilee.
The two adult versions of those present start out the door and down the
hallway, talking about boring stuff like who's doing the best in the tests and
who's closest to graduating to the X-Men. Paige is obviously in charge.
There's also, oddly, a lot of people hanging around in this wing, sitting on
tables along the wall, doing homework apparently, or chatting. When you all
pass by the Common Room nearby, it's nearly full with young men and women of
all colors and sized and nationality - inculding a couple with fur and mutant
deformities. One thing is for sure, the size of the school has increased, as
has the size of the X-Men in all. Shush, Jubilee. Be happy for Paige. "Hey
there, Ms. Thomas. I finished my history report." Ok, maybe you shouldn't be
happy. A young man - about fifteen - is the one who said that. Yuppers, Paige
is married to Everett. That's pretty darn clear. "Ms. Thomas" smiles at the
young man and says, "Very good. Be sure to turn that report in on -time-,
Andrew." The boy nods and takes a step back, getting out of their way. There
are some kids that are younger then 13 around, but most are in their teens.
One of the younger kids, who looks about three or four with -huge- blue eyes
and white-blonde hair, waves his fingers towards those approaching... or in
fact -past-. He's waving at the -real- people following the illusions. He
gives a soft... almost... strange giggle, and scurries off. If someone from
the real group decides to follow, they'll likely lose the illusions they're
supposed to be following, because the kid is already out of sight down a
hallway before anyone can really respond to his wave or giggle.
The first thing Paige does is groan and cover her eye. "Ms. Thomas?! Mah
Southern ass!" She mutters to herself, casting a glance over her shoulder at
Jono, looking vaguely apologetic. She didn't do this. She dosen't want this.
Really. None of it. No no no no. It's *NOT* her. Not anymore. Then, she just
shoves her fingers in her jean pockets and keeps walking, hunching her
shoulders. The little boy is almost missed - but Paige dosen't follow. She's
going to stick with her older self, and find out more about this for now,
though chasing elsewhere sounds like a nice distraction, really.
In his pockets, his fists tighten, (~~..`nd so did you, firecracker.~~) Jono
replies. There could be venom in his voice, if he had a voice. And if he
didn't catch Paige's look, he'd be trying to break Jubes nose for her. His
face, whats left of it, scrunches up. 'No sir, I don't like it' would be a
very appropriate quote to describe Jono right now. And he doesn't want to
stick around, either. Before anyone can say much of anything, he's following
after that kid. With any luck, its one of Lishka's kinfolk, and by blasting
the sh*t out of him, Jono can work out some rage. Someone get out the
phonebook, he'll need the 'psychiatrist' section. Probably 95% of it.
Jubilee shoots a /glare/ at Paige as she looks back at Jono. How DARE you,
bitch! He's /mine/! I don't care if you /did/ have my first! You got a
boyfriend so stop fawning over /mine/! No, she doesn't believe an ounce of
that apologetic look, so it's a good thing it wasn't ment for her. Yeah, you
keep on pretending you didn't want this, Paige. And Jube will keep plotting
horribly painfull ways to kill you. She doesn't bother following that kid,
just glances at him with an odd look.. and then wacthces Jono follow.
Terry picks up her pace a touch heading after the adults. She doesn't even
blink at the child who is more than likely one of Lishka's playmates. She's
got no issues with the marriages, she rather likes seeing all the wee ones
about. A real school. Not just a mutant training zone. Okay so maybe she's a
touch peeved at Sweet Paige leadin', if its not Xavier or Sam.. shouldn't it
be her? After all, well JUST CAUSE It should be her!
Gwen Namura hums, notes the kid. "Think that's Nate Gen Three, or another
haysee.... Bye, Jono." She looks around for pictures of herself, then trails
the group.
Now, as for the adult Paige and Jubilee, they swirve off and find the
elevator, which of course leads down to the important lower levels, and right
in front of it, is standing a older version of Sam. Unlike the last one, this
one has aged. He's even got *hehe* receding hair-line. He grins and says,
"Sister, mah wife." He leans in and plants a kiss on Jubilee's cheek, then a
second on her lips. There's a sound from some of the kids nearby, "EWWWWWW!"
Sam gives them a brief sneer and then turns to Paige, "Everett's got Kaitlyn
preped an' readah. We're just waitin' foah ya to run heah through."
The Older Sam gets a critcal look. Ennh. Nothin' she wants to see. She dosen't
want see him. Hell, to be honest, she dosen't want to see any of this, really.
So she just goes along, looking out over the window, her blue eyes distant and
pensive. "Fuck, Ah hate this..."
"Yeah, I bet." Jubilee snaps back as she crosses her arms oevr her chest and
watches Paige cirtically. Any thought she had that maybe Paige wasn't all that
bad, that maybe with some work they could get some kind of civil relationship
going, flies directly out the window. You bitch. Why couldn't you have stayed
in Kentucky!
Terry rakes her hands through her hair and goes to watch whatever is about to
occur. She remains silent, after all it appears there really isn't much for
her to have to deal with emotionally.
Those three - Sam, Jubilee and Paige - step into the elevator; Sam is
the first one to talk here, "Ya know, Ah remebeah when the two of ya wouldn't
even talk to each otheah." Mrs. Guthrie rolls her eyes and elbows her husband
in the stomach - oh, Sammy's gained some wieght as well - "Oh, shut it." Sam
raises his hands, in that 'I mean you no harm' way and then says, "Yeah, mah
love. Shuttin' up." The three move to the back of the elevator, making just
enough room for the team as it is. Jono's definatly going to get left behind
for this part at least. Maybe that's best though. Would -you- want to watch
your woman married to another man.
A soft voice in the back of Paige's head begins to whisper, "This is you. This
is who ya were meant to be. Do not resist. Become her. Shread this skin,
shread this mind, and become, ascend. Be as you were always meant to be." The
voice sounds just like your own, just without the accent. The voice of -this-
Paige. And with the voice - obviously telepathic - there's a sense of... love,
acceptance.
No. Hell, Paige dosen't want to see it much either, but she follows it through
to the end. Arms wrapped around herself, she follows into the elevator, her
eyes guarded - and staying WAY THe fuck away from Jubilee. Yeah, she can
practically feel the hate radiating from her. No, she dosen't want to do this
- to see this, that she can't have - but she's got to. Lishka isn't going to
spare her, now is she? She gains an almost pained look to her eyes, and shakes
her head once, as if clearing the cobwebs from it.
Jubilee turns her seering gaze towards her other self and balding pudgy Sam -
husband and wife. She loves Sam like a brother, honestly she does, but god
damnit she DOES NOT want to be his /wife/!! She isn't even sure she's worthy
of being /Ev's/ for that matter, but she's 16 years old. you don't think about
who you wanna settle down with for the rest of your life at that age. Still,
she loves Ev. And this wench is /still/ entertaining thoughts of a life with
him?!?! With her boyfriend right there?! A tiny bit of Jube feels sorry for
Jono, for having to see this, but it's mostly overwhelmed by the sheer anger
she's feeling towards Paige. She wants OUT of this room, and /fast/,
goddamnit!
Terry reaches out and places her hands on both Jubilee's and Paige's
shoulders, "Lasses may I remind y' both tha' this is fake an' most o' this is
bits an pieces o' stuff probably rather ol' tha' has been twisted in Lishka
th' B'tch's imagination. " She watches the both of them.
Gwen Namura is squeezed into a corner of the elevator. She has switched to
singing "Can you feel the love tonight." From the Lion King.
Lishka the Bitch? She'd feel -hurt-. That's not very nice of you. Well,
since you all likely got into the elevator - I hope, cause the door is closing
- it starts to decend. Once done, the doors open and Paige leads the way down
the hallway, towards the Danger room. There's an older Terry standing in the
hall, talking to an adorable little red haired boy. Ahem. She has a ring on
her finger as well, but at least she isn't with Sam here. Her 'husband' likely
isn't going to be shown here, because it would have no effect on Paige, which
is who this whole thing is geared towards. She gives Paige a respectful nod
and then goes about her talking.
The voice continues softly, prompting Paige, "If Emplate hadn't have taken
you, if the team had never been attacked by Sinister and forced to go to Mojo
Verse, if the Beyonder hadn't been near death - the woman before you would be
-you-. This was how you were meant to be. We should be one. Do not resist me.
This is how you wanted to be. This is how you should have been. Do not resist.
You know it is true. When we become one, only then will you be able to let go
of your past and what has happened to you. You want that, don't you?"
A dark glimmer enters Paige's eyes, and she quietly straightens. "Yeah." She
murmurs, as she runs her hands through her hair, her face suddenly shifting
into one of ... displeasure? She follows closely behind her double, her eyes
dark. Before they left the new Mutants, *All* New Mutants were trained to
scramble thier thoughts, be harder to read. Paige is no different. She
concentrates quietly, even as she hears that niggling voice in the back of her
mind, steeling herself for a moment.
Yeah, Maybe Terry is right.. But still. Lishka isn't just pulling this stuff
outta thin air. This is all from Paige's head! So, Jubilee remains staunch in
her displeasure of the situation and anger at Paige, but now she atleast makes
an effort not to /look/ to pissed off. She follows along with one and all,
looking all around as they walk, trying not to sneer at /everything/..
They reach the 'Danger Room' and proceed inside, or at least they go
into the door that leads up to the control deck. And low and behold. There's
Everett. Still bald. Still handsome, but slightly older. And get this, he's
got a goatee. He looks proud and diginfied, and happy. He smiles as he spots
the three you all've been following and says, "Kaitlyn's ready. A little
gittery, but ready. It's only to be expected. Three weeks ago she was living
on the streets half a country away." He doesn't say anything about Paige being
his wife, nor does he move to kiss her. In fact, he waits for her to come to
him, and earns a light peck on the lips for it. Jubes is probably about to
bust out of her skin - in a non-Paige-like way - and kill someone in this
room. A certain blond to be exact.
There's a soft smile behind the voice now, after 'hearing' the 'yeah.' "Very
good. You know this is what you want. Husk into me, and we will be one. Do it,
and you will be whole again."
Paige stops just behind the woman - and then bringing her hands to her skin
for another husk - mindless of the pain in her leg. She can do it. She's got
to do it. This whole room depends on her doing it. Period. Young Paige
vanishes - and in her place in an identical replica of older Paige. Just
ignore the tighteness to her eyes. "Yeah, darlin', lets see what she can do."
She shoots a glance over her shoulders, just once, to her teammates, pleading
with them for a little trust, and then siddles over to Older Everett's side.
UH.. did she just *give in* to the room?
As soon as Paige husks, the other one vanishes as if she was never
there.
Trust? TRUST?!?! You just husked into your older self and took over and are
GIVING IN and you expect her to TRUST you?!?! "That's /my/ fucking boyfriend
you've got your hands on, hayseed, and don't you forget it!!" Jubilee's so
close to just snapping and sending Paige right off the deep end with her. But
for now, she just shakes with her anger and balls up her fists, a light glow
surrounding them as she eyes Paige as if the girl was the devil herself. You
so much as brush against him wrong - illusion or not - and she's gunna paff
your ass into /oblivion/.
Terry is still looking all melted at the red headed little boy, she tried to
peer at him as if to find out who his poppa was. But she pulls herself away to
grab at Jubilee again, "Dammit Jubes, Let her d' wha' she needs t' s' we can
get ou' o' here an' get t' yuir MAN.."
Now that Paige is literally part of the illusion, it almost seems more
substantal, more real. They really see her. Everett reaches to take Paige's
arm, and she really feels it. He motions her over to the controls, and looks
down at the window overlooking the Danger room, "Kaitlyn's worried about her
power. I mean it usually is considered that powers such as remore viewing -
seeing through someone elses eyes - is not of much use when there's no one
down there with her who's mind is opened, but this is just the usually
training exersize. Kitty got through it on the first try. Should not be too
difficult."
The voice speaks one last time, then fades completely, "Now, we are one. Do
not mistake that this is your destiny."
Paige is remarkably calm - and dosen't react to Everett's touch. While the
room goes quiet, there's a moment of pause - Paige feels her heart beating
against her ribcage. She's going to do this. She is. "Ah'm sorry, Ev'rett -
but y' don't love me. There are days if Ah question if ya evah-" And then her
hands are shreading through her skin, revealing heavy, metallic arms
underneath, fingers elongated into claws and wickedly sharp, "-did." And then
she's rushing her 'beloved husband'. "Ah *Ain't* this woman, Ah *don't* love
ya, an' this ISN'T WHAT AH WANT ANYMOAH!" Did she just... ugh... run Everett
clean through? Why yes, yes she did. "Don't ya get it, Lishka?! Ah don't
*Dream* about this anymoah! Ah dream about gettin' on, day to day. This kinda
shit, Sam can keep. Ah don't want to lead anymoah - I've already proven Ah
*can't*. So you can KEEP your fuckin' FANTASY! Ah'll make mah OWN Goddamn
destiny without havin' you *HAND IT TO ME!*"
................. Wow. And watch the whole ball just STOP. Jubilee's eyes
widen and her jaw hits the floor, and for a moment as Paige rushes Everett,
her heart nearly leaps from her chest in fright, her instincts telling her to
go to him, to protect him, to keep her away from him and keep him from getting
hurt, no matter /what/ the cost. But she has to scream internally at herself:
He's not Ev. She's not hurting the man Jube loves, she's battling an illusion.
Still, her eyes immediatly start to water heavily as she just.. watches.
Terry covers her mouth with her hands. There was a number of things she
expected, This Was NOT one of them. "Guid GOD Paige...." She step close to
Jube not even knowing how this will affect her.
Everett grunts as he is run through, blood spilling from him onto Paige.
Warm blood. Metalic tasting blood - if anyone bothered to smell it. He just
stands there a minute, as if stunned, then looks up at Paige... Then his eyes
glaze over and he falls - slightly forward, mostly downward. Sam and Jubilee
are standing with their mouths wide open. What the hell just happened? Who
took over Paige's body and turned her into a raving lunitic? Then the
strangest thing happens. Everett's now lifeless corpse changes to the older
other Paige, then shifts into Xavier, then back to Everett, and eventually it
sticks on Paige. As if symbolizing something.
The same voice appears again, slightly faded, but still there, "You are not
right. What you wanted, what you needed, is still there. You just deny
yourself to think about it, because it is too painful. With pain, comes
strength. As you have proven. Despite your lack of mental stability, you are
strong. I would be proud of you, if I could have known you. We are not one. We
are seperate. I am dead. And you, my friend, are alone."
"Three months, you son of a bitch! *THREE MONTHS!* That's how LONG Ah was GONE
and when Ah come back y' already shackin' up with Jubilee! So much foah y'
true love, Everett! You that inconstant, You son of a bitch!" She drops to her
knees, sobbing now, her form still that of the now bloodied older Paige. "So
much for y' steady, faithful love. So much foah nights alone out bah the cove.
So much for comfortin' each othah when Joliene died! While Ah was bein'
broken, an' tortured, an' *fed off of*, *ya* were takin' *comfort* from the
*mallrat*, when Ah'll Ah had was to DREAM about you at night. When every drunk
ass who wanted t' paw me couldn't compare to m' dreams of tryin' t' come home
to ya, no mattah how far Ah'd fallen! An' then, theah y' are. An' Ah'd already
*Been replaced*." Paige's voice is nothing more more then a low hiss by this
point, hoarse and rough. She staggers back. "Ah'm not this woman. Ah'm not
this Paige. Yoah right, Lishka. This Paige *died* when Ah was taken away. She
was supped away by Emplate with hte rest of mah soul. Ah don't know if Ah can
evah be anythin' lahke heah, evah again. Or if Ah want to be. This isn't
strength. Ah ain't strong. If Ah'd been strong... Ah wouldn't be lahke this in
the first place." To bad Jono isn't here to see this - Paige could really use
a shoulder to cry on right about now, as she dissolves into hard, wracking
sobs. "Ah loved ya once," she murmur softly, under her breath. "Ah did. But Ah
can't anymoah. Not anymoah."
Jubilee watches with horror in her eyes as they overflow with tears, and she
watches poor Ev go down, and then listens to Paige's words.. and her heart
can't help but ache for the girl. Still.. she's so wrong. And Jube can't go
without telling her so. "That's not /true/!" she cries out at Paige, stepping
forward. "You don't know what he went through! He looked /everywhere/ for you!
He was so afraid he'd driven you away, that you just left him because of
something he'd done! He did everything, /everyting/ he could to find you! And
it killed him that it wasn't /enough/!" She lifts her hands and wipes away her
tears as if more angry at them then anything else, taking another step to
Paige. "You wheren't replaced, Paige. Do you think I would have cared when you
came back if I didn't /know/ he still cared about you? That I /didn't/ replace
you? Do you know how hard it was for me to try and get him to open up, just a
/little/ to me? He felt so /guilty/, like he was betraying you or giving you
up! And after you came back, you don't know how horrible he felt! That he
couldnt' /save/ you, that he didn't know how to help you! And he /wanted/ to,
he wanted to so baddly. Why do you think I was so /jealous/ of you, Paige?!
You have no /idea/ how it killed him to see what he couldn't stop from
happening to you!"
Terry is simply silent, there is no hug she can offer or words of soothing.
She just stands ther.
"In the end, Ah was with Jono, who *did* love me. Who *wasn't* in someone
elses arms. Who *wasn't*, when Ah needed him *most*, down in the *gym* in
*yoah* Goddamn arms!" She struggles to her feet. "Yeah, Ah fell. Ah fell
*hard* an' betrayed his trust while Ah was with Emplate, but Ah had no free
will." She pushes up from the floor, wiping her own tears away with her hard,
bloody fists. "Listen to y'self! Listen to ya validate him! Y' love him - an'
that's all good, but Jubilee, yoah sayin' he stayed with you even *though he
knew it was wrong* t' leave me! He was guilty! An' he had every raht t' be!
Oh, yeah, he came. He made a token effort. Plied me with," she gives a
slightly less-then-sane laugh, "sundaes! We used t' eat 'em when we *studied*
an' then, oh, he wanted to be there - to kill Emplate. That's all he cared
about. Not me - but revenge *foah* me. Some fuckin' love! Some fuckin' *true
love* from our *first kiss* bah the cove!" She turns away from Jubilee, to
look at her olderself and strips away her outter form. "Ah want out. Nah. Give
me the goddamned door." Lishka knows what she's thinking though. She knows the
truth. She may hate Everett for what he did, for this percieved abandonment -
but she's right. Part of her still wants him, and always will. But part of her
is cold and hard enough, like the claws she just rent Everett-illusion with,
to deny her that. What dosen't kill you makes your stronger, right? Well, if
that's true - Maybe Lishka's right. Maybe she is strong. But it's not
nessecarily a good strength.
Jubilee frowns deeply and sniffles a little, wiping away her tears angerly
with the back of her sleave. Goddamn tears. Goddamn pain. Goddamn LISHKA!!
"Yeah, so maybe love died. I'm not expecting him to love /me/ forever. But
don't you ever think for a second he didn't mean it when he said he loved you,
Paige. You know him better then ta think he's some bastard liar." And as far
as Jube is conserned, that's all you need. Just to know, someone loved you
once, even if they won't still love you tomorrow. .. kind of a weirdly
pessimistic/optimistic look on life, ain't it.. She lifts up her head and
glares at the ceiling, or through it. "C'mon Lishka. You've had your fun in
this one. Lets move it along."
The room... quivers. All those in it stare at Paige for a moment, then
vanish - along with the room - but no doorway has appeared. Then standing in
the corner of the room is someone clapping lightly, "Bravo, Miss Guthrie.
Bravo." One would expect Lishka, and in fact it is someone who looks
surprisingly like Lishka, only with hair as black as coal instead of hair like
mist or frost. Her skin, the same pale; her eyes, the same golden,
"Congratulations. You are strong, 'Paige'. If you weren't, you'd never have
made it this far. You'd never have survived to return to your 'Everett'. You'd
never have been able to admit it. Or run him through. This Everett. What is
the big deal with him. He wasn't that good looking. Though personally, no man
is worth pain. None of them. Expecially not a mortal. Personally, I don't even
know what you see in him. He'll shrivel and die. Mortals are like prunes,
except they don't even taste good. Young souls are always better. Love is
dreadfully overrated. Now... soul-bonding. That is a true gift. And it will
never grow old, never die. But no, you don't want him for his soul. You are a
fool. Truely." Oddly, she seems to be talking to someone who isn't physically
present. Lishka perhaps? She's dressed all in black. Yes, she's not Lishka,
but she's definately one of her race. So much for Lishka banning them to the
top two floors, huh?
Bwah? "Who the *FUCK* are you?" She waves her hand dismissingly, all cold and
ice just like the bitches around her. Yeah, the place is REALLY getting to the
hayseed - She's even pushing her accent back again. "Oh, hell, don't answer. I
don't care. Give me the door. I beat the damn room. Shut your arrogent yap and
get us the fuck out of her before I figure out a fire husk. Now."
As if to emphasise Paige's so eloquently put point, Jubilee 'powers up' and
turns her glare towards the new arrival, as if it is now /she/ who is the
cause of all that is going on. "I'm /tired/, I'm /angry/, and I'm so close ta
blowin' your entire snerky race back ta where ever you people come from, so I
really suggest ya show us the door /outta/ this room before me and Paige here
get medieval on yer nasty behind. /Pronto/."
The new woman chuckles slightly and raises her hands innocently, "I kind
of wish you would. Fire is my affinity. I'm incredably good with it... My name
is Krista. And I was just passing through and noticed the game Lishka is
holding wit...." she trails off and looks a direction to the left. "By Loki,
you share your prey with Teiman but not with me? Fine, -fine-. I'm going.
Hrmpt. Lishka really is cranky for some reason." With that, she melds into a
shadow that was behind her. Her own shadow. She was carrying a short
conversation with Lishka, but Lishka isn't making herself visable. Maybe she
doesn't want to be attacked again. Smart? I think so. And with that, the door
appears, and arch, leading into another blank room.
(
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