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THE COMING OF CHANGE written by A.J. Mathews
The
Coming of Change
(For the record… Italic words are
telepathy, and this is a sequel, of sorts, to Monet’s Breakdown.)
Chapter
1.
Sean! Sean Cassidy, get up right now! shouted Emma Frost in her
fellow headmaster’s mind, standing outside of his door. Sean murmured something
under his breath at the mental intrusion.
I don’t care if you have a girl in your bed right now! We just
received news from the X-men. Of course, if you’d rather not hear what they
said… Emma
added sweetly.
“Ah!
I’m up, Emma! What is so important?” he asked as he slammed the door open, and
came out in his pajama bottoms.
They want to know if we can take in some new team members, since
the newest X-babies have graduated. What should I tell them? Emma sounded…
unsurprised.
“You
don’t sound too surprised. I’m not sure everyone would welcome new recruits
right now, especially with Jubilee being pregnant… Then again, when is a good
time to bring in new recruits?” Sean wondered.
I’m surprised they didn’t ask sooner. I knew it was coming since most
of the team joined X-Factor, and we have empty rooms. I don’t know, though. You
might be right. I’m intrigued by one of them– a girl. She is one of the most
powerful telepaths on Earth, according to Jean Summers. She may even surpass
her and Rachel one day, according to Foresight. Emma mused.
“Emma,
please talk out loud. Ye are giving me a headache! It’s too early in the
morning for this!” Sean said in an irritated tone. “Another telepath, eh? Who
else is on the list for us?”
Emma
muttered, The things I do for you… “They also want to send us two boys–
one who can shape rock, and another who can float in mid-air. The downside is
their ages: 14, 15, and 16. All of our team members are 16 or older... What do
you think? Should we?”
“Might
as well. Maybe it’ll give Jubilee a chance to relax– maybe stop Everett from
fretting all the time, at least about her,“ stated Sean. “Give them the ok,
this time. I’m going back to bed.”
Don’t you mean you’re going back to your lover? Emma snickered softly, as
she walked towards her office.
“EMMA!”
Sean turned beet-red. He slammed the door to his room
Emma
almost floated to her office, happy to have one-upped Sean Cassidy.
Chapter
2.
The
next day, Monet, Paige, Jubilee, Everett, a few of the other boys, and the
headmasters stood waiting for the Blackbird to land.
“What
will they be like, Ah wonder?” said Paige in her hayseed accent.
“We
won’t know until they get here,” said Jubilee, as Everett massaged her
shoulders. “Oh, that feels good.”
“Look,
there it is!” cried Monet.
Remember to behave yourselves, team, said Emma firmly. We
don’t want to give them a bad first impression.
“Just
act like yourselves,” Sean added, as the Blackbird landed on the grass in front
of them.
The
doors opened, and Rouge and her husband, Joseph, walked off.
“Welcome
back, Rouge and Joseph!” cried Jubilee.
Rouge
smiled, and said, “Generation X, may I introduce you to-” a tan boy with long
brown hair walked off, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a sleeveless yellow
t-shirt, “Wind Chaser,” a second boy
walked off, with exotic-looking silver hair and eyes, wearing a blue t-shirt
and black jeans- “Shale,” and a petite looking girl followed Shale, with very
long silvery-red hair and emerald-green eyes, wearing dainty sandals on her
feet, dangly earrings, with a royal-purple shirt on that emphasized the
roundness of her eyes and the severe thinness of her face and arms, with a blue
jean skirt on, that showed her legs were very thin, as well, “and NightScream.
I do hope you will make them feel at home here. We,” she gestured to herself
and Joseph, “have to return as quickly as possible.” “Next time, we’ll come
back for a longer visit, Jubilee,” said Joseph gently, seeing the hurt in her
face. “But the X-Men are in the middle of a project, so…”
“It’s
ok,” Jubilee said, all the time feeling a bit resentful that they couldn’t feel
the need to stay and talk a while longer, that they could spend more time with
strangers than her.
“Bye,
guys,” Rouge called as they boarded the plane and took off again.
Well… I think the first order of business is to get the real
names– not code names from our new team-mates, said Emma on a tight
telepathic band to the older Gen X team, putting an emphasis on team-mates.
NightScream
looked over at Emma, and frowned slightly because the ‘pathing had not been
sent to herself, Shale, and Wind Chaser. You know, that’s kinda rude,
she said in a crystal-clear voice, making sure everyone heard her mental voice.
What? Emma said, looking over at her with surprise and shock.
Ignoring us like we’re not here– talking about us behind our
backs. It’s rude. Wind Chaser frowned, and Shale looked at him nervously.
I didn’t mean to be rude, NightScream, Emma said in a neutral
tone, at the same time wondering how the girl had managed to penetrate her
‘pathing. “What are your real names, then?”
Wind
Chaser stepped forward confidently. “My name is Kevin Rasputin, son of Peter
and Kitty Rasputin.”
Shale
and NightScream looked at each other to see who should go next. Shale cleared
his throat and said, “My name is David, son of Rouge and Joseph.”
Sean
and the others were surprised when he didn’t state a last name.
NightScream
stepped forward, and with a surprising Irish lilt in her voice, she said, “My
name is Katerine.”
“But
who are your parents, Katerine,” said Monet jealously, trying to figure
out where this girl– who had all of the guys except Everett and Sean Cassidy
staring at her, got her looks and genes.
Katerine
cocked her head to one side. “My mother died when I was born. I don’t know who
she or my father were.”
“Oh.”
Monet thought Katerine was trying to hide who her parents were, and sent a
private thought to Jubilee, who, was the only person so far who could hear her
limited telepathic voice. She’s not very friendly, is she? Trying to act all
high and mighty on us by hiding her parents from us.
Jubilee
looked back, and shrugged. It could be she really doesn’t know who her
parents are. She seems… shy. Maybe she’s just nervous or tired.. After all, it
was a long plane trip, even for the Blackbird.
I think she thinks she’s too good for us. Just look at the way she
talked back to Emma– who is now her headmaster as well. And you better guard
Everett around her. Look at the way the guys are drooling– it’s disgusting,
Jubilee.
Jubilee
frowned, and looked over at the guys. All of them were staring, except for
Everett and Sean. Everett’s not looking at her that way. Anyway, I trust
him.
Katerine
frowned again, looking directly at Jubilee and Monet. She was tired of people
‘pathing behind her back. Emma caught sight of the frown, and looked over at
Jubilee and Monet. She could hear their ‘pathed conversation, which meant
Katerine probably could too, judging by that frown.
JUBILEE! MONET! Stop ‘pathing to each other right now! Emma motioned for Sean to
escort Katerine, David, and Kevin to their rooms. You know, Katerine heard
every word you were saying. You may want to apologize to her, because that is
exactly what I did not want to happen. You, Monet, will go straight to your
room. Jubilee, you will help those three settle in instead of cleanup. Let that
be a lesson to you.
Katerine,
David, and Kevin walked in silence behind Sean, who was worried. Katerine was
reflecting on what the X-Men had told her about how friendly the GEN X team
was. Not with that Monet around! she thought, feeling more hurt than
angry. She cast a look at David and Kevin. “Hey, David and Kevin, after we get
settled, will you come to my room?” she asked, with her backpack making her
arms look even thinner
“Sure,”
they agreed. David thought Katerine looked like an angel and kept shooting
admiring glances at her.
Sean
looked back at them. “Monet didn’t know any better, Katerine. She doesn’t know
ye very well yet.” The girl was truly
nothing but skin and bones he thought. They’d have to get her up to her proper
weight again.
Sean
sighed. “Monet tends to be a little arrogant at times, Katerine. Give her
time.”
Katerine
nodded quietly, as she opened the door to the room he gestured to. Sean
wondered why she only had one backpack while David and Kevin both had two
suitcases, but decided not to question her right now. “Come down for dinner
around 8, ok? Ye have three hours until then to get settled.” He walked down
the hallway to show Kevin and David their rooms, then proceeded to go to his
office.
Katerine
entered her room, walked to the bed and sat down. She opened her backpack, and
took out a few clothes, books, and toiletries. She placed her clothes in the
closet, her toiletries in the bathroom, and her two books on the bookshelf.
Even to her eyes, her room was pathetically bare. She laid down on the bed to
wait. When a knock sounded on the door, she said, Come in, thinking it
was David or Kevin. Instead, Jubilee entered. Oh… I thought it was Kevin and
David. What is it? Jubilee’s eyes widened slightly as she took in the few
items that had actually been placed in the room by Katerine. She noted the few
clothes in the closet, before turning to Katerine, who had a wary expression on
her face. I came to see if you were done packing yet? I also wanted to apologize.
Monet and I didn’t mean to offend you. We’re just used to, well, to not being
overheard.
I see. “How far along are you?” Katerine asked, her curiosity getting
the better of her.
“Six
months next week,” Jubilee said with a smile.
“Is
it a boy or girl?” Katerine asked, suddenly feeling one of her other powers
growing. Her power to ‘see’ things rarely kicked in, but when it did it was
always right.
“I
don’t know, I wanted it to be a surprise, but then the baby never got in the
right position. Are you ok?” Jubilee asked worriedly for Katerine had suddenly
gone slack and paler, with her eyes closed. “Katerine?” Katerine? Jubilee
was getting worried. EMMA! she cried when she got no response.
Katerine
heard Jubilee faintly through a haze, as her ’vision self’ gazed at another
Jubilee, lying near death, with the baby gone. But where did the baby
go? she asked, as she wondered how she even knew that the baby was gone.
She began looking for it– a girl, she suddenly knew. A little girl.
Katerine? Emma Frost started to get worried. The X-Men never
mentioned this. SEAN! Something’s wrong with Katerine. I can’t get her
conscious.
Sean
jumped at the mental intrusion. He raced down the hall into Katerine’s room,
nearly running over David and Kevin, who followed him, thinking something was
wrong. “What’s wrong with the wee lass, Emma?”
Didn’t you hear me? She can’t wake up? Jubilee, now what were you
doing.
Nothing! We were just talking. She asked me when I was due and I
said six months… then she asked me, “Boy or girl?” and then she just went like
this.
Katerine
drifted in a haze…. She had never been lost in a vision so long! Unsure of
where and when she was, until she remembered. Not again… Please! Not again!
I don’t want to be here alone anymore!
But you can never escape me….. Never! No matter where you go, I
will find you. You cannot escape from me again! I am Eclipse! I would have had
you long ago had Professor Xavier not interfered. You will be mine…. Body and
soul... forever!
NO!! Katerine felt other voices near her….
Katerine, come back…. Please come back!
HELP ME! she cried to the voices.
Monet was sitting in her room, remembering the hurt look on Katerine’s face
when she had overheard her and Jubilee talking. For some reason, the new girl
seemed almost familiar, like she’d met her somewhere before, in another time
and place. As she traced the scar across her right eye, she suddenly gasped.
She wondered, could that girl- Katerine- be Katya? Suddenly she heard a mental
cry: HELP ME! She was stunned, for it was Katerine. Why would she ask
for help after the way I treated her. Monet felt guilty about that. She
regretted that she had acted so jealously and hastily, in judging her. DON”T
LEAVE ME ALONE! The cries echoed in her head. She reflected on the voice
and then gasped. She flinched, then walked to the doorway. When she opened the
door, she looked down the hallway and saw a crowd gathered at Katerine’s room. What’s
going on, I wonder? Monet walked down the hallway, wincing as the cries
continued. She felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness, a despair and fear…
“Headmaster, what’s going on?”
“What
do you mean,” Sean asked.
Monet
pointed at Katerine, flinching as the cries continued. “I can hear her
screaming… inside my head. Cries for help.”
Monet? You can hear her? cried Emma.
Monet
nodded silently.
Try ’pathing to her. None of us can reach her!
“Ok,
Ms. Frost. I’ll try. Only Jubilee has ever heard me, though.” Monet thought
back, and remembered that she and Katya had been able to ‘link’ powers almost a
year ago. Katerine? Katerine, can you hear me?
Katerine
was despairing of ever finding her way back when she suddenly heard Monet’s
voice reaching through the haze. Monet? Is that you? Katerine was too
relieved to be angry.
“My
god, she heard me. Ms. Frost, I thought only Jubilee could hear me!” Monet
sounded stunned.
Try to reassure her that we are trying to find a way to bring her
back, Emma
Frost said urgently.
Katerine, Ms. Frost says she’s trying to bring you back, but
something is blocking her ability.
I’m afraid.. . Katerine’s fear was felt by Monet, who physically trembled.
Try to follow me back, then, if you can’t follow Ms. Frost.
Ok. Katerine psychically grabbed onto Monet’s mental voice and slowly
began dragging herself back to awareness.
As
Katerine opened her eyes, she was aware of Jubilee’s tears and David’s fear
that she was dead. Did I miss dinner? she asked, still feeling groggy.
The
whole room let up with cries. “You’re back!”
Ms.
Frost looked straight at Katerine. What, exactly, happened to you, young
lady? She sounded worried and angry.
Katerine
looked at Monet and Jubilee. Should I be worried that she looks like that?
Ms. Frost looked stern, worried, and angry. Both nodded, with amusement.
I’m not sure what happened, Ms. Frost. I got...trapped somehow and
couldn’t get back.
“I
thought we’d lost ye, lass,” said Sean.
Katerine
looked at Monet. Thank you for helping me… I know you don’t really like me,
do you?
Actually, I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier. I was jealous…
All the guys think you’re so pretty.
Me? Pretty? Katerine sounded so stunned that Monet knew she wasn’t
joking. She also noticed that Katerine didn’t have many belongings in her room,
but didn’t say anything.
Know what, Jubes? We need to have a party for our new friends.
So you decided that they aren’t so bad after all?
No, I just want to throw a party. Something in Monet’s face
prevented Katerine from saying anything.
I’m sorry I scared everybody. I didn’t mean to.
I’m more curious as to why it was Monet who you could hear instead
of us, mused
Emma.
Monet
looked at her teacher, and she shrugged.
Maybe it was guilt? Or maybe you two have more in common than you
thought. How she heard you in the first place, let alone used you as a beacon
to come back from… wherever she was, is astonishing.
“All
I know is that it terrified her… because it terrified me. She was deadly afraid
of that place.”
Emma
looked surprised, then nodded slowly. Strange… you could feel her emotions?
I wonder if you two are soul mates, Monet.
I’m not sure about that, Ms. Frost. I think I know her… from
almost a year ago. Katya! I think she’s Katya. She looks just like her. She did
promise she would come back.
You could be right, Monet. She still has that incredible aura of
power surrounding her, a year later. But she’s so much older than she was.
Monet
thought back on how young Katya/Katerine had been then and how old she was now.
She walked over to Katerine. Katerine, this might sound crazy, but do you
remember, when you were a child, getting kidnapped by a man who tried to drain
your psychic energy? Do you remember being rescued by a group of mutants? Was
your name Katya?
Katerine
gasped. How did you know that I keep having dreams like that?
Monet
shook her head. I remember it, because it actually happened. Monet
turned her full face towards Katerine.
You got
that from him, didn’t you? That bad man. I was too young to remember most of
the details. It was you! You rescued me from him, Katerine gasped. You were my friend.
And afterwards, I had to leave. I couldn’t stay any longer. But I promised to
come back because we were friends. You do not appear as unhappy now as you were
then. Come; let me heal that for you. Katerine held her hand out, and
gently touched the year-old scar. Everyone in the room gasped when it glowed
for a minute, then healed over with smooth, new skin.
My face!
It’s back to normal, after so long! Thank you so much! Monet said. She could ‘feel’ that
Katerine was pleased to have made her happy. Maybe we really are soul-mates,
she mused.
Would you mind being soul-mated to Katerine? asked Emma Frost her
quietly.
Monet looked
over at Katerine slowly, who had for once not overheard the question. She
watched Katerine talking to David and Jubilee softly. She smiled, and then she
shook her head slowly.
The End
