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Disclaimer: These characters are not mine (as much as I would love them to be), they're Marvel's, and Marvel makes money out of them, I don't (too bad really). But Blink and Almura are aaaaaaall mine, but if anyone wants to use them I don't care, just ask me first! The story is about the animated series, so don't be surprised to find Morph in it (by the way, chronologically, it takes place a few days after the one-before-last episode, whose name I don't remember, and a few weeks before "Graduation Day"). I beg all readers to send me comments (to leora-h@usa.net) -- it's my first story and I want to know if I have a future as a fanfic writer. :) Hope you enjoy! (And last, biiiiiig thanks to Kielle for helping me get this online.) |
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Jubilee's Adventure.by Joan Milligan |
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Part One The hour was 9:30 AM. The X-Men's large conference room was dense with bodies. Eight out of the ten members of the group were there, waiting for the 13-and-a-half-year-old X-girl also known as Jubilation Lee -- Jubilee. Eager whispers of "where is she?" and "she's late!" were heard all around the room. Jubilee had been away for almost three months now, and that was her first visit. They couldn't wait to see her again. In fact, young Jubilation never wanted to go to the boarding school. She wanted to stay with her friends. But Jean's promise that "the school is safer than running around risking your life for the world's sake" and Scott's comment that it would be much better without a kid hanging around had convinced her, and she left the X-Men and went to a half-year of boarding school. When they could wait no more, a small figure appeared in the doorway. Jubilee entered the room, looking grim and unfriendly. She folded her arms and made an angry face as everyone helloed her. She didn't look glad to be home again. Beast was the first to notice. He silenced his friends with a quick gesture, and turned to Jubilee. "Is something wrong?" Henry asked. Jubilee bent forward, leaned on the table, and said wrathfully "Yes! Something is wrong! That boarding school -- is was so damned annoying! They found out that I was a mutant in the first week, and I had no friends...everybody turned away from me the minute they saw my fireworks, and I was alone all the time! And there was that boy...his name was Mark...he was so charming! He kind of liked me until he heard I'm a mutant, and then he, too, left me. It was awful! And it's your fault! You sent me away! Just because I'm a teenager, doesn't mean I'm worth less!" "Hey, don't blame us!" Gambit grumbled, "you wanted to go!" "You forced me to!" cried Jubilee. Tears streaming down her cheeks, she fled the room. "Oh-uh," muttered Rogue. Everyone seemed worried. They didn't even realized how much Jubilee would hate the place before they sent her there. They were just too sure that she needed to be with kids of her own age. Jubilee was a very special girl. She liked company, and liked to be one of the group. She hated being alone, but that happened often because of her powers. In the X-Men she found her home, and only there she was considered equal. Sending her away was an awful mistake. "We owe her big this time," said Logan. Of all the X-Men, he knew Jubilation the best. They had been teammates and friends for long enough to love each other like a father and daughter. "He's right," Jean sighed, "but how can we make it up? After all, Jubilee won't just forgive us, will she? We'll have to give her something." "But what? A toy? She's too old for that!" Gambit tapped his head twice. "Gambit says this place's empty..." "I have no ideas," Beast said sadly. "We can't give her an adventure...can we?" "Why not!" Jean smiled. "Let's give her an adventure! An adventure all hers! Let's allow her to lead the team!" "That's my job!" Scott replied angrily "Jubilation is just a kid, she has no sense of responsibility!" Jubilee stormed into the room, eyes glowing with excitement "Lead the team? Me?" "Oh boy..." Ororo muttered
"I still don't like it..." Logan said. The group was making its way toward an abandoned building. The place was empty for so long that none of them thought that there will be something there, but Jubilee insisted of going to "explore" it. And it was her adventure, after all. She led the team, and the others stepped behind her. Jubilee seemed at home in the twilight. "It looks like a ghost house," said Rogue quietly. Jubilee spun. "You mean it? Cool!" "I didn't say it is a ghost house, I said it looks like one." "You can never know," joked Gambit, and the three of them chuckled. The battered building indeed looked frightening in the growing shadows. It was ruined, the windows all broken, and blocked with wood spars. The strangest thing was that the door was still untouched. Jubilee tried to open it, but wasn't successful. "It's locked," she said. "What do we do now?" "Isn't it weird?" asked Gambit. "It's an empty house after all, why would anyone lock the door?" An ear-piercing scream emerged from the house. The X-Men jumped backward, startled by the sound. "Answers your questions, Gumbo?" Wolverine gasped. "Who the hell was that?" Storm asked with shock. "Maybe the question should be..." Jubilee's voice was trembling "what the hell was that?" "Let's go in!" Scott suggested. "No!" Rogue replied sharply. "We don't know what's in there, Cyke. You don't want to end up like whoever -- whatever -- that screamed, do you?" "And the door is locked, anyway," Jean commented. "Ah, that's not a problem," said Logan with a devilish grin. Drawing his long metallic claws, he approached the door and made a futile attempt to cut it. The only result was a high-pitched voice that drove a shiver down everyone's backs. Somewhere inside the building, someone gave an order... And the door opened with a rusty sound... Exposing a small army of mutants... Which took one glance at the X-Men and braced for fight. "What the hell--" Jubilee snapped to battle mode. Rogue and Storm leaped off the ground and hovered a few inches over their friends' heads. Gambit instinctively pulled a few cards form one of his many pockets. Jean concentrated to create a psychokinetic shield for herself. And Wolverine drew his claws. Apparently, their enemies took those actions as a threat, or maybe they had to attack, but whatever the reason was, they were the first to take a hostile move, by spreading between the X-Men, and attacking with an overpowered self-assurance. Jubilee fought a big, blue-skinned mutant which was twice her size. She had no problems injuring him with her fireworks, but her own self-defense was quite useless. "You will not intrude the command center," said her enemy in a somewhat inhuman voice, "you will be stopped here." Stopped? Jubilation's gaze said. Like hell I will. Her enemy caught her by the wrists and threw her toward the building's wall. Jubilee cried out, and managed to fire one more time before hitting the wall and losing consciousness. The mutant was hit by the blast of fireworks, and, much to the X-Men's surprise, fell to the ground, dead. "One down, 200 to go." muttered Rogue. She was battling a slim, tiny, and cute female mutant, which could fly as well. Despite her superpowers, Rogue was having difficulties beating her canny foe. The little mutant was injured and exhausted, but she didn't give up. It was as if it wasn't her own will moving her, but someone else's. Rogue was sure of her victory when her enemy suddenly blinked and disappeared. Rogue's eyes went wide. What had just happened? She noticed that the mutant never blinked during the battle, but it didn't concern her. Now she linked it to the strange event that she saw. Something leaped on her from behind, the little mutant that had disappeared moments before. Rogue shook her off easily, and felt a pang of guilt when a shriek of pain followed the sound of a small body hitting the ground hard. "199 to go," she fixed herself with a certain satisfaction. Gambit ran over to where Jubilee lay, fainted. "Jubilation Lee! Jubilee! You got to regain consciousness! Jubilee! Wake up!" "My head..." the girl moaned. "No time to complain, we're in the middle of a fight here and -- ah!" Gambit cried out as one of their enemies -- a mutant that looked like a humanoid snake -- stuffed two long fangs into his shoulder. Jubilation quickly shot at the snake man, who died without even shouting. But that was not helping Remy, who fell down and lay next to Jubilee. That snake freak must've had some kind of venom, Jubilee thought. Gambit's dead if I can't get him back to the X-Mansion at once. "Rogue!" she called. "I need help here! The Cajun got beaten by some kind of snake man, I think that thing had poison!" Rogue didn't hear her, she was too busy shaking off five of their enemies who hung on her, stopping her from flying. It seems that I'll end up waking Gambit instead of him waking me, Jubilee thought. Maybe someone else would assist her... "Jean!" she shouted. "Henry! Logan!" No reply "Anyone! Help me!" They didn't hear, couldn't help. Suddenly, another thought came: This is my test! I must prove that I'm worth being an X-Man! Carefully, ever so slowly, she got up. Ignoring the pain that screamed throughout her body, she started dragging Gambit away from the wall, and from the battlefield. That was all she could do, but at least she'd do that! As the battle raged, it seemed that the X-Men were losing. Storm had been knocked out, and Rogue, bleeding and powerless, used what was left of her strength to drag herself away from the battlefield. Jean's shield was weakening. There were just too many enemies. "Retreat!" Cyclops shouted. "We can't fight them anymore! We must escape while we still can!" Apparently, their foes understood, because they fought harder. The X-Men ran as fast as they could, but Jean wasn't quick enough and fell. Scott hurried toward her. Beast took a quick glance at the battlefield, and noticed the mutant girl who fought Rogue. He lifted the tiny body, and carried it away. Scott never reached to his telepath friend. One of the mutants caught Jean and took her into the building. Another was doing the same to Ororo. "Jean! No!" Cyclops cried. He fired at least ten blasts at the ones who kidnapped his girlfriend, but none of the shots hit. The big iron door closed.
The "Blackbird," the X-Men's big plane, landed softly on the landing field next to the X-Mansion. Morph, the tenth member of the group, was just entering the large house after returning from a mission of his own. He had a big fight, too, and all he wanted was to wash off the blood and dust and go to sleep. Then he heard the landing of the Blackbird and hurried to the landing field. Morph thought that after what he and his friends had been through in their time together, nothing would be able to surprise him. But he was shocked when he saw his crewmates. They indeed looked terrible. Cyclops was carrying the unconscious Gambit. Rogue, who was barely standing herself, supported Jubilee. Wolverine was dragging one leg. But the thing that Morph's gaze kept drifting to was a small stranger that Beast brought with him. She was tiny, her body slim, her skin was somewhat yellow, and her eyes were red and had no pupils. She was a complete stranger; he'd never seen her before. Her big eyes made him dizzy, so he turned his gaze away, and back to his friends. He read one thing in their eyes: defeat. "Good God, mates!" Morph cried. "You look like you've just returned from hell! What happened? And where are Storm and Jean?" "We went to explore the ghost house on 47th Street, and a whole army of mutants attacked us. They've caught Jean and Ororo, and we all had the defeat of our life, thanks to Jubes," Rogue replied, giving Jubilee her best scolding glance. "The ghost house on 47th? It's been abandoned for years!" "Well, someone lives there now," Jubilee said stubbornly. Morph eyed her for a few moments, not sure if to believe her or not, then shook his head. "Tell me later, okay? Now let's get you guys into the house before we'll end up having a conversation we'll all regret."
The X-Men were sitting in the conference hall. In another room, Jubilee was already asleep. The day's events were far too much for a girl her age, and she was severely injured. Sleeping was her only way to avoid the pain and, more than that, the glances her friends shot at her. The other seven were talking, even arguing. The only way to rescue Storm and Jean was to go back to the ghost house, and none of them wanted to, after what they'd been through. On the table sat the small captive, licking her lips and moving her eyes from side to side in puzzlement. She still looked a bit dazed, and didn't make a sound from the moment she woke up. "I ask you for the final time, who are you and whom do you serve?" one of them, apparently the group's leader, told her. She glanced around the room to see the team eyeing her angrily. She didn't like it at all. They looked strange to her, and she was amazed by their courage. Although they were defeated, they were willing to go back to the place where they almost died, just to rescue their friends. She discovered that the one she fought was there, too. That woman...Rogue? She hadn't caught all of their names yet...glared at her with even more rage than the others. One of her arms was hanging in a sling. I must've hurt her really bad, she noted with satisfaction. She also noticed that another one -- probably the one who've been bitten by one of her team -- sat on a nearby couch, looking weak but interested in whatever her captures talked about. That was one hell of a victory if we injured two of them so easily, she thought. Now she started wondering if to talk to them or not.
Rogue collared the mutant girl with her good hand and snapped, "You talk, or we'll make you talk!" The girl seemed terrified. Rogue let go of her collar and murmured, "Useless! I think she can't talk at all." The captive's eyes narrowed. Offended, she said with annoyance "My name is Blink, I talk in rhymes. So strange are seeming all my lines. Here you go -- pleased? I just spoke. I showed you that I know to talk. Now please, don't be rude, let me go. I promise that I'm not your foe. You were attacked -- but not by me! Almura did it, only she!" "Almura?" Xavier cried "No need to cry, no need to shout! I'll tell you what it's all about! If you'd like: the place I'll show, but I suggest you not to go!" said the girl who called herself Blink. "Two things," Wolverine said. "One: We'll be thankful if you'll tell us what you know, but you're not leaving this room. Two: Stop with those rhymes, you give me a headache." "Please don't be angry, don't blame Blink. In rhymes I talk, in rhymes I think. But if all of you insist, I'll talk normally and assist!" "Why won't we simply start in the most obvious question: Who is that Almura you talked about?" Beast asked. Blink opened her mouth to reply, but Xavier silenced her. "My X-Men, listen carefully now because this is critical. Almura January, Immortality as she calls herself, is an old enemy of mine. She failed where I succeeded. She, too, wanted to found a place where mutants could live their lives quietly, but it all fell apart when she discovered she was a mutant herself: she can suck life power from other mutants and expand her life span. Her dream changed from assistance to control, and when she discovered that she could hypnotize... "I guess you can imagine what happened. Morph and I had a run-in with her a few years ago, when you were away from the Mansion. I'll never forget what it was like...if Almura and her guard are still alive, this world is not safe for neither Mutants nor Humans. If you fight her, you must kill her and all of her soldiers, and not to spare a single life. As much as it against our ideals." Everyone turned to Morph for approval. They never got it. Sidney was too shocked to even talk. His eyes were wider than they ever saw them, he was lime pale, and his entire body was shaking wildly. "You're not serious, are you?" he rasped. "Confront Immortality? Committing suicide is just as useful! You will never make me face her again!" "What wrong with him?" Rogue asked "When we first fought Almura, she almost sucked Morph's life energy. The process is extremely painful, and requires several weeks to recover from if the victim survives. Usually: he doesn't, but Morph was strong enough to make it. Unfortunately, the experience was traumatic." Xavier turned to the group. "If and when you're going to fight Almura, I must ask you not to take Morph along." Rogue looked at Morph, who used his shape-shifting powers to shrink to minimal size, and sat at the corner of the room. She grinned. "You can trust us to lock him here, if that's what it'll take." "No need," replied Morph, still terrified. "Even your super-strength isn't going to help you bring me there. I'm staying." "Seems wise enough to me," Blink said, not even trying to rhyme her words. "Almura is dangerous. I don't think you understand what it's like even to be next to her. She has a huge army of mutants. You were almost killed once; how can you win her this time?" "You should know that nothing is impossible for the X-Men. But aren't you going to help us?" Gambit asked. "No way!" Blink didn't even realize she'd shouted. "Oh...I'm sorry...didn't mean to shout...it's just that I don't think my help is...well, helpful. You're a good team, as I might say, but two of you can't fight, one is too frightened to go, and one is injured." She ignored Rogue's gruff glance. "I don't think you know what you're facing! And if Almura beats you and catches me: I'm due to life-sucking! Sorry, guys...I can't help you." "At least tell us how we can get in!" Henry told her. She looked at him with big, frightened eyes, as if seeking for mercy. When she didn't get it, she said, "If you ask, Blink speaks and Blink tells. But if I were you, I would've done something else. Almura is evil, and her I fear. If I were you, I'd be out of here!" "Gambit thinks we better let her go," said Gambit. "Not only that she doesn't help, her rhymes are getting worse." "No! Blink tells!" "Tell, then!" Blink sighed and said, "The only way to enter the command center is to get the army out, that's what it's all about! But if Almura's guard is out, and you're inside, someone needs to stay behind. So they can catch someone, as they always do! But is they'll capture you instead, I must say that you'll be dead. Don't say I didn't warn you!" "Leave someone behind?" Beast echoed "If that's what it takes to rescue Jean and Storm, I volunteer!" said Cyclops Morph's voice, a hoarse, trembling sound came from the corner. "Volunteer? Are you out of your mind, if you ever had one? Do you know what she'll do to you? She'll eat out your soul bit by bit! And you'll feel each and every one of them!" The shape-shifter rose, but had to lean on the wall to stay up, so horrified he was. "I've been through it! I know what it's like! And I'll never, ever, let any of my friends feel what I felt! NEVER!" "Calm down, Morph!" Jubilee was standing at the doorway, seeming worried but not too worried to think reasonably. "I can do it." Everyone, including Morph and Blink turned too look at the X-girl. Jubilee seemed sleepy and dazed, but determined. She knew what she wanted to say, all that was left to do was just to say it. "It's obvious that the one who will stay behind will certainly be killed," she said, "and that's why the one who will stay must be the most useless of the group. And who's the most useless of us? Me." "Jubilation," Xavier said softly, "we will need all the help we can get, including your help. And never call yourself useless again, because useless is the last thing you are." "Don't bet on it," Jubilee said, annoyed. "We all know that what happened was my fault, and that you all would love to get rid of me. I'm not even a real X-Man; I'm just a teenager, remember?" "But you're our friend," said Rogue. "Nah." Jubilee shook her head. "I don't deserve your friendship. If not for me, none of this would've happened." "Also true," murmured Scott. Everyone shot angry glances at him. "Guys, I really think that I should be the one to be left behind. I made that decision, don't try to change my mind." Jubilee sighed. "That's it, X-Men, hope you're happy."
Five out of the ten members of the group made their way toward the Blackbird. They went so late because Blink said it was the best hour, and no one could sleep anyway. Gambit and Morph stayed in the house; Gambit because of his injury, and Morph because he didn't dare to join. Jubilee was the last to enter the plane. She walked slowly, considering every step to be one of her last ones. She hadn't thought she would survive, and frankly...she didn't want to. "Are you sure you're doing the right thing, Jubilation?" Scott asked her when she entered. "I can do it, and my odds for survival are much higher." "Forget is, Cyke," replied Jubilee. "I can do it, I want to do it, and I need to do it. I owe it to Jean and 'Ro." "I don't think Jean and Ororo would like you to sacrifice yourself when there are other options." She threw her head back and laughed. "Other options? Who are you going to put out there? Morph? Or maybe Blink? Or perhaps Almura herself will come out and open the door for us? No, Scott." Jubilee shook her head. "I need to do it, I'm the only option. The team needs you to lead them, it can't be you." He sighed. "If you insist, I will not stop you. Watch yourself, Jubie." Jubilee's eyebrows rose, did he actually call her Jubie? "Just...do me one favor, will you?" "Anything, what is it?" "If I fail...if I die..." Ignoring all Laws Of Behavior When Near An Official X-Men, Jubilee hugged Cyclops, and stopped fighting the tears back. "Tell Wolvie...no, tell everyone...that I love them..." He hugged her warmly, patting her raven-black hair, trying unsuccessfully to calm her, and she cried and cried. But the decision was made. Now it was final, nothing was to be done about that. Jubilee would be the one to die that night. When everyone were already inside the plane (Rogue flew next to it), the house's door was slammed open. Morph sprinted out. Shifting to the form of the X-Men's super-swift ally Northstar, he ran as fast as he could to the Blackbird. Ignoring Xavier, who shouted after him, ignoring the numbing fear which controlled every limb in his body, ignoring the sounds of the take-off. The plane was already in the air when he arrived, but the door was still open. Sidney shifted into the form of a winged mutant, and flew upward, toward the plane. Luckily for him, he managed to enter before the door was shut and the engines activated. He returned to his own form just as the plane's door was suddenly close, throwing him in. He landed hard on the metal floor. Morph lay on the floor of the Blackbird for a few seconds, until he recovered from the shock, then looked up and said, "Seems that I arrived just in time. Had the party started yet?" "Morph!"
everyone said at once. "What are you doing here?" Cyclops demanded. "Professor Xavier told you to stay!" Sidney seemed surprised. "Whoa there, mate, you said you could use all the help you can get. So here I am -- one of the most powerful mutants on Earth, and you know that just as well as I and everyone else does. You're not going to send me back now, are you?" Wolverine chuckled, "Sorry to spoil the fun, Cyke, but Morph is right. We need all the help we can get, so shut up and concentrate on flying the blasted plane. Wouldn't want to crush in the middle of a rescue mission, would we Jubes?" "Of course not, I mean, we are going to rescue Jean and Stormy, right? But if Cyke won't keep the plane up, who would rescue us?" Jubilee was back in a good mood, and she was up to some laughter. After all, she didn't want to die without smiling one last time. "Do you mind? This is supposed to be a serious mission!" said Scott angrily. "I'm sorry, Professor, I was too busy yelling on Jubie and Logan to get real, and the plane just..." muttered Morph, covering his mouth with his hand so Cyclops wouldn't see him smiling. "Shut up, Morph!" "Shutting up, sir!" replied Morph, and everyone laughed again. "You know" said Jubilee "This is getting fun..."
The Blackbird landed a few streets away from the ghost house. The flight was relatively pleasant, because Jubilee and Morph didn't stop joking the whole trip. In Sidney's case, that was normal, because the X-Men used to describe their friend as a "never-serious shape-shifter," but no one understood why Jubilee laughed all the time; she had no good reason. "That's it," muttered Rogue when she landed next to the plane. "'Ro, Jean, here we come..." "Are you afraid?" Jubilee asked Morph "Afraid?" he replied. "Afraid isn't a word, Jubie, I'm crazy with fear, but that doesn't matters, does it? We're the X-Men, unstoppable, unbeatable. I can't be afraid -- if I were, I wouldn't be an X-Man. But I'm afraid -- of many things! I'm afraid of Sentinels, because they almost killed me, I'm afraid of the Friends of Humanity -- we are all afraid of them. X-Men's motto is: we're not afraid to live in a world that fears and hates us..." he leaned closer to her and whispered "...but we should be." "Well, I'm afraid." "Yes, Jubilee," Morph sighed. "You, too, should be..." "What are you two talking about?" Scott asked them. "I asked Sidney if he's afraid" answered Jubilee. Cyclops eyed Morph. "Are you?" "Yeah, I am. You?" "I'd be lying if I'd say no." "Of what?" Scott shrugged and said, "Of what might happen to Jean if we fail..." and Jubilee laughed "as expected!" "Seriously, Cyke..." "I thought you can't be serious?" said Cyclops severely, and walked away. "He is afraid," Morph whispered to Jubilee. "He just doesn't want us to know..."
"We
call ourselves the X-Men "That's a good song," said Jubilee. Rogue smiled, "It is, right? So, are you afraid now?" "I don't know anymore. It's, like, ridiculous! We walk here to a suicide mission -- and we sing!" "Suicide mission? Who said it's a suicide mission?" Beast asked. "We are going to rescue Jean and Ororo, that's all." "Sidney says it's a suicide mission." "Never said that!" "You did, Morph. You almost didn't come because of that." "No, I said that facing Immortality and--" "Stop that!" Cyclops scolded them. "We are almost there, don't start arguing now!" The building was before them, looking threatening. Behind her, Jubilee heard Morph swallowing hard. The fear suddenly griped him again, and he went white and stepped backward. "You came all the way here just to run away now?" asked Wolverine, only half-joking. "I'm disappointed, kid, expected better from you." "I'm not running away," said Morph firmly, but his voice was trembling. "Oh yeah? Then get yourself together and go in there!" "Um, Wolvie? Shouldn't we, like, get the door open first?" asked Jubilee. Rogue started to laugh, and Logan shot an angry glance at her. "What?" she asked, "it's funny!" But when Scott added a glare of his own, she stopped laughing. "Okay, okay, let's just get this over with." She pulled the heavy door out of its place. Cyclops nodded to Jubilee, and she stepped to the middle of the yard and started firing fireworks. The army they faced before began pouring out of the house. Now even Scott was frightened. "Move it, move it!" Jubilee yelled, waving a hand toward the door. Cyclops ran it, followed by Wolverine. Rogue pushed Morph in and entered herself. Beast was the last to enter. He looked back at Jubilee, who was desperately trying to keep her enemies away from the door and herself "This is not right, someone should help her." "You can leave that to Gambit." Henry turned, surprised, and saw Remy standing in the gate to the yard. Although he had to lean on the fence for balance, Gambit seemed eager to help his young teammate. "I thought you stayed behind," said Beast in amazement. "You really thought I'd miss all the action?" Gambit laughed. "It's okay, Gambit feels just fine, maybe a little dazed, but can handle it." Henry smiled. "I think Jubilee would appreciate it," and hurried into the building.
"Don't worry, kid, Gambit is here to help you!" yelled Gambit, noticing Jubilee's miserable condition. "I can't hang on," she shouted in reply. Gambit pulled a few cards out of his pocket, charged them and threw. Three of the enemies fell, but there were so many... "The two of us can't hold 'em back!" cried Jubilee As the battle raged, a nice strategy began forming in Jubilee's mind. She shot a glance across the yard -- it was dense with bodies, so dense that it might turn useful... She stopped firing and started running. "Catch me if you can!"
It was dark inside the building, dark and frightening, and Rogue couldn't help but think about her poor teammate outside, fighting an entire army of mutants... "In times like this, I'd love to have night vision," she muttered. Morph turned toward her. "That can be arranged..." "Without draining you, you idiot." "Um..." Even Sidney couldn't find a proper funny answer to that. Or maybe the fear had finally overtaken his sense of humor. Rogue didn't blame him; she was terrified herself. What Professor X had told them about Almura was enough to freeze her blood, and their last encounter with Almura's army... That was what made her tremble as they walked inside the dark corridors. "Perhaps I was not mistaken, perhaps this house is haunted," she told the others. Cyclops stiffened. "There is no such thing as ghosts." "Oh yeah? Then what's that?" Morph said, pointing to the end of the corridor. A figure was there, almost invisible, but clearly alive. Rogue barely repressed the argue to scream at the top of her lungs. It stood silently, guarding a small door, and only the way it looked made them all stop cold.
"Ororo," she whispered "you're awake?" No answer; Storm was still asleep. Jean was glad about that; at least she didn't have to cope with both the scans she did and the claustrophobic Storm, who hadn't stopped panicking ever since they were locked here. She sighed and scanned again. If only she could knock the guard unconscious... Hey! she thought, that's a good idea! But how can I do that? Then
she got another flash of idea, and started whispering telepathically to
Storm. Storm opened her eyes and almost screamed. Jean quickly put a hand on her mouth. "It's just me, calm down...I need you to knock the guard unconscious, so I'll be able to scan the place." Storm nodded quickly, and made some kind of a noise Jean couldn't recognize as a word. She removed her hand off her friend's mouth. "What?" "Why scan the area? There's no use in this! And I've tried my powers on the door, they don't work," Ororo said. "Then at least I'll know if help is coming." Storm opened her mouth to reply, but then said only "fine" and concentrated on the guard. "I call for the winds of ice!" she said in her special voice, the voice she spoke with when using her powers. Jean watched as numbing cold wind surrounded her friend, and then struck the guard, who fell down at once. The telepathic fog was cleared!
"What?" Scott spun like a cat. "I guess our ghost just died..." muttered Morph, and Rogue almost laughed. "Stop joking!" Cyclops yelled, then turned to Logan. "I'm counting on your sense of smell. Was this really a 'ghost'?" Wolverine sniffed the air, then shook his head with a smirk. "I've got better news."
Jean patted her gently, then scanned the area again. "Ororo! They're here! They came to help us!" "What?!" "The
other X-Men! They're here!" Jean repeated in excitement, then tried
to telepathically communicate with her friends. "But you can shout" pointed out Storm "Yes...yes!" Jean's eyes lit up. "Maybe they'll hear us!" Both Jean and Ororo leaned on the bars and cried, "We're here!"
"Good work, petite! We're winning!" Gambit shouted. When Jubilee arrived to the gate, though, she stopped, panting. "I can't...can't do it..." she gasped. "Then I will," Gambit snapped. Now he started to run, and all attention was turned toward him. "Gambit! No!" Jubilee cried. "You're too weak to do that! They'll capture you for sure!" "You have a better idea?" But Jubilee was right, and Gambit reached to the middle of the yard -- and collapsed. Jubilee reached out to him, but their enemies were quicker. When she saw no other way, Jubilee started running again, distracting her foes from poor Remy. That's it, she thought. I'm sorry, guys... She was alone again, against a whole army of powerful enemies, without a friend or an ally, alone and hopeless. "Don't
worry, Jubilee!" an encouraging cry came from nowhere. "Blink is the name, and to help you I came!" "Blink!" Jubilee said happily. She was not alone anymore!
Wolverine turned to her, grinning. "Jean and Storm are here! Very close to us!" "Where??" Cyclops demanded "Our ghost was probably a guard or something, they're in there." Logan gestured toward the door which was guarded by the "Ghost." "Let's just get them out and get out of here!" said Beast, but Morph shook his head. "No." "Why not?" asked Wolverine in amazement. "Almura is still alive. I can't leave this place as long as she's alive. I need to kill her." "I'll do that," Cyclops told him. "You don't need to face her again, Morph." "No, Cyke, I should do that," replied Sidney sadly "I'm wise to her methods and I have the greatest chance to defeat her. Besides, she almost had my life last time we met." He chuckled. "Would be nice to see how she'll respond if I'll beat her now. Long live irony." "Do what you feel is right, kid." Wolverine put a hand on Morph's shoulder. "We're here for you."
"It works," Jubilee answered shortly. "Now will you be so kind and get Gambit out of there before they kill him?" Blink shrugged. "Sure." She disappeared and reappeared next to Gambit. "Blink!" Remy said in utter surprise. "Why are everyone so surprised to see me, I wonder?" Blink smiled. "You and your friends are a fine team, but you're losing, or that's how it seems! Your enemies see me, they won't come near, now let's just get you out of here!" She took his hand and disappeared. He disappeared with her. "Way to go!" cried Jubilee, still running between her enemies. But she had nothing else to be glad about. She felt weak and tired, and knew that she couldn't run any longer. Right, she told herself, like I have another choice.
"Just keep going! A little more!" shouted Jubilee in reply. But Blink could go no more, and she fell, powerless, near the door. "It's up to you now, Jubie, and you can win. Show 'em what you can do; I'm sure you know what I mean," Blink told her, "and perhaps we'll even get out alive. Never saw such a thing in my entire life!" And she used the remainder of her strength to blink away. It's up to me now, thought Jubilee, and the thought encouraged her. She'd show them what she's capable of!
"You okay, darling?" Wolverine asked, helping her up. "I think I sprained my ankle," she replied, biting her lower lip in pain. "That's so ridiculous!" exploded Morph. "Now that we need the strongest of us, Rogue is injured! I don't know about you, but I must laugh!" "Shut up," said Rogue, and kicked him. I can kick, didn't sprain anything, she thought. She felt a little embarrassed, but didn't let that emotion last. She'd just have to be more careful now. No more joking, this was danger. Cyclops was already at the door. He blasted it apart and helped Jean out of there. "Get Ororo!" was the first thing Jean said. "She's in the corner, I think she fainted." Rogue limped into the cell, helped by Wolverine. "Storm? Can you hear me?" There was no reply. "She's probably unconscious," said Beast. "You know she's claustrophobic, maybe she couldn't beart the place." "Understandable," murmured Morph; the dense air made him cough and sneeze. Poor Jean and Storm, who had to spend so much time in there! "I'll take her," Wolverine declared simply, and carried Ororo out of the room. Her eyes were closed, and her breath unstable. Jean was just fine, a little cold, and a little frightened, but fine. "Let's get out of here while we still can!" she begged. Logan looked at Morph, who smiled. "Go ahead, I'll catch you later." "You sure?" "It'll be all right, I tell you." Wolverine sighed. "Okay, I guess you're right." Rogue turned to Jean. "Can you provide us with a psychokinetic shield?" Jean nodded, and a blue glow formed around the group. Morph looked at his friends, knowing he might never see them again, and then turned away and walked down the corridor.
But wasn't strong enough to make it... "Jubilee!" Wolverine cried when the girl fell down. "We forgot all about her!" said Rogue, slamming a hand on her forehead. Wolverine was staring at the motionless Jubilee, muttering, "She was just a child..." His eyes narrowed with unbearable rage. "She was just a child, a child against an army! But did anyone cared? No, no one cares about her! About a child all alone!" His metal claws were exposed and glittering, and his gaze snapped fire at the enemy. "You fought her without the slightest mercy! Burn you, bastards!" The entire group felt exactly the same. Their beloved Jubilee had been killed, and someone was going to pay for that! *** The fear was gone. He opened the door violently, and stared into the face of the enemy. "Almura," he deadpanned. Almura was a tall, slender woman with mauve eyes and dark brown hair that was very long and hung over one shoulder. Her low voice was like streaming water, like silk, like venom. She turned to him and smiled cruelly. Her gaze caused Morph purely physical pain. "Well, look who's here," she said slowly. "It's been a long time, Sidney." "Yes, you've lived too much time after our meeting." "This isn't a way to treat an old friend." She actually seemed hurt. "As I recall, we weren't exactly friends." He almost returned her smile, knowing that would be sufficient as a threat. "No," she said, "we weren't." They stared at each other for a long time. "I've came to claim what had been taken from me," Morph said finally. "Which is?" He moved closer to her. She was taller than he was. When he'd first fought her, this had been his greatest disadvantage... "My life, Immortality, something I thought no one could take. You've lived my life for a while. I don't know whose life you're living now, but I know it's not yours." "You're a fool." Was he imagining, or did her voice really tremble? "When I take life, it becomes mine." "Well, I don't like it when people use me or my life. You did so, now you're going to pay." At once, he braced for battle. Almura's eyes narrowed. "You think you can beat me? You silly thing," she hissed, "sooner or later, my army will come here and kill you. Meanwhile, I can handle you myself!" She shot deadly energy at him from her hands. He evaded it effortlessly. "Out there, in the street, lie your soldiers, Almura. And my friends have killed each and every one of them!" She backed off angrily. Like a snake, Morph thought, waits silently, then bites. Almura jumped forward again, shot again, and missed again. The two moved around the room, considering each other's steps. Then Almura leaped and grabbed Morph's head in her hands, activating her powers. Morph screamed as the same piercing, searing pain burned throughout his body, like it did so long ago when Almura first sucked his life energy. He felt himself weakening. Before his eyes, Almura's figure became fuzzy as his vision blurred. And the pain didn't stop... Almura laughed. "See my powers now? Prepare for your death!" Something in the back of Sidney's mind was triggered as agony continued to flood him. Something important, something about Almura... Then the idea broke out, and without warning, Morph began to shapeshift. He changed into any form he ever saw, and when that was over, he started pulling out figures from his wild imagination. He didn't stay in one shape for more than a second. Almura's burgundy eyes flew wide. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "When you first tried to drain me," he answered, panting, "This is how I broke free, you remember? You just couldn't take the overpowered use of my abilities -- it overloaded you, and when you were weak enough, I broke free. But I'm not going to break free now, I'll use my powers until it kills you -- or me."
No one resisted. The X-Men always tried not to fight, but wrath blinded them all now. They were ready to kill every mutant in the yard. And that was what they were about to do. There were much less enemies this time, because Jubilee had killed or knocked many of them unconscious. The group's work was much easier. Blink and Gambit joined the others after a while. Both were stronger now, and eager for revenge. Jubilee saved them all, and now they were about to complete what she had started, and free the world from Almura and her companions. After a while, there were no living enemies left, only a bunch of Blink's personal friends, who, like her, were forced to cooperate with Almura with no choice to do so. Wolverine, his claws covered with the foes' blood, ran over to Jubilee. She lay face-down, and didn't move. "Jubilee," Wolverine said in a broken voice, shaking her, trying to wake her up. "Talk to me, Jubes, I know you're not dead. Jubie, please wake up!" Jean stepped forward, and placed a hand on Logan's shoulder "It's useless, she's gone." "No, it can't be!" It was the first time they saw Wolverine weeping openly. He cried over Jubilee's body. She had been more than just his friend... The seven lowered their heads in grief. The pain of losing a loved one wasn't new for them, but Jubilee was special... "Wait," Jean said suddenly, rising her gaze, her eyes wide with surprise. "I still feel her telepathically. She's alive!" "What?" everyone said a once. And Jean talked mentally to the girl "No use," Scott told Jean. But he was wrong...
"Jubie!" Wolverine hugged her. "You're alive!" "Of course I'm alive," Jubilee said. "You thought I was dead?" "She hadn't changed a bit," Gambit grumbled. "Still the same old brat." "You're a brat yourself," murmured Jubilee, and fell asleep moments afterward. Jean looked down at Wolverine, who was smiling broadly. She returned his smile. "She needs a long rest, I'm sure she'll be just fine." "So everything is back to normal," said Beast. "Am I pleased..." "Not just yet!" interrupted Rogue, pointing at the building. "Morph is still in there!"
"I've killed you," he told her. She was now on the floor, barely breathing, but her eyes were still locked on him in terrible hatred. "I've killed you, but I think you killed me as well." "If that is what must be," she replied "then so be it..." With those words, Almura died. Morph rose from where he sat. His legs sagged as he made his way out, to his friends. I'll never make it, he thought, I'll die on the way... The logical thing was probably to lie down, to make the last few seconds easier, but something pushed him to continue. He made it as far as the doorway, and there his strength left him, and he lay powerless. And you can imagine his surprise when Rogue flew in! "Morph?" he heard her say. "It's Rogue. Do you hear me?" "I hear you just fine, mate," he croaked. She landed next to him. "Oh my God! What did she do to you?" "It's a long story..." Rogue was about to ask, then stopped herself. "I'll get you out of here. Where's Almura?" But Morph didn't have the power to answer. She decided to let down the subject for now and carried him out of the building. Her friends were waiting to her outside. Silently, they climbed onto the Blackbird. This was one more adventure to put behind.
Jean smiled. "Maybe she's still tired. She's just a teenager after all." "Just 'cause I'm a teenager, doesn't mean I'm worth less..." Jubilee muttered in her sleep. She turned, and opened her eyes. "G...guys? What am I doing in the Mansion?" "We brought you," replied Rogue with a sneering tone to her voice. "What do you think you're doing here, giving a freak show?" Jubilee looked around the room. She was at the med-lab. All her friends were there, around her. From the other bed, she saw Morph smiling at her. "How long did I sleep?" she asked. "Five days" Beast replied. Jubilee almost freaked out. "Five days??" "Quite a time for a girl your age," Wolverine said. "You deserved it," Jean said, smiling. "You saved us all." "I saved you?" "Heroically!" Gambit replied. "And Almura?" "Dead," Morph whispered, yet hardly to Jubilee. "Almura is dead..." "And you are all right?" "Most of us," Scott told her. "Morph will have to stay grounded for a while, and so will you, but I guess we got out of it quite lucky." "And Blink?" "I wish I could stay--" Blink was there, too "--but me and the others who ran away from Almura -- we want to found a group of our own. If it's fine with you" she added shyly "We'll call it 'X-Men -- Generation Next.'" "Fine with us!" everyone said at once, and then broke into a loud laughter. "Just one more question," Jubilee said thoughtfully. "Am I...returning to the boarding school?" "It's your decision only, Jubilation," Professor Xavier said. "Then I'm...I'm staying!" she declared. "My home is here!"
Storm shuddered. "Awful...I wouldn't want anyone to go through that." "That's what Morph said about confronting Almura, and finally, we all went there..." Jubilee said, deep in thought. Morph did face Almura; it had nearly cost him his life. He was still immobilized more than a week after the whole episode. "We had to." "Yes..." Jubilee muttered, "we had to..." She turned her horse to face Storm. "If you had to...would you go through that again -- to help us?" "Of course I would!" "Why?" "Because you're my friends! And I love you!" "But you're afraid of small spaces--" "--and Morph was afraid of Almura," Storm completed the sentence. "Yes, Jubilee, we all have our fears, but sometimes, there is no escape from them. Sometimes, we have to face our fears -- for our friends." Jubilee moved closer to Ororo. "And you're my friend -- right?" Storm looked warmly at Jubilee. "We all are." And rode away. Jubilee stared after her, smiling. "I'm home," she said simply, and ran to the top of the hill. |
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